Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) at Florida Career College-Jacksonville

This HVAC program at Florida Career College-Jacksonville delivers below-average earnings that should give parents serious pause. While graduates earn $28,989 in their first year—reasonable for entry-level trades work—this falls significantly short of both the national median ($35,749) and Florida's median ($31,997) for similar programs. More concerning, this program ranks in just the 11th percentile nationally, meaning 89% of comparable HVAC programs produce better-earning graduates.

The debt picture adds another red flag. At $9,500, student debt matches the state median but represents a higher burden relative to earnings than most programs nationally (75th percentile for debt load). The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33 means graduates carry about four months of their annual salary in debt—manageable but not ideal when stronger alternatives exist. Florida offers significantly better HVAC programs, with top performers like Manatee Technical College producing graduates earning $45,926—nearly 60% more than this program.

The robust sample size of 100+ graduates makes these numbers reliable, and the 18% earnings growth to $34,093 by year four shows some career progression. However, with 66 HVAC programs across Florida, parents should seriously consider alternatives. The state's community colleges and technical centers consistently outperform this program, offering better career prospects in the same field for similar or lower debt levels.