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

This HVAC program falls well short of what you'd expect from quality training in this field. While the $9,500 debt load is manageable, the first-year earnings of $28,989 place this program in just the 11th percentile nationally—meaning 89% of similar HVAC programs produce better-earning graduates. Even within Florida, where HVAC earnings tend to be lower than the national average, this program ranks only in the 40th percentile.

The numbers tell a concerning story when compared to Florida's top performers. Graduates from the best in-state programs earn $45,926 right out of school—nearly $17,000 more than this program's graduates. Even the state median of $31,997 is $3,000 higher than what students here can expect. While earnings do grow 18% by year four to $34,093, that's still significantly below what graduates achieve immediately from stronger programs.

For an in-demand trade like HVAC, where skilled technicians should command solid starting wages, these results suggest the program may not be providing the quality training employers value. Given that better options exist throughout Florida—including community colleges and technical schools with much stronger outcomes—your child would likely be better served exploring those alternatives rather than settling for below-average results at a similar cost.