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

Fortis College-Indianapolis graduates enter HVAC careers earning slightly above the national average for these programs, but there's a catch: they're trailing other Indiana options by about $2,000 annually. While $36,981 after one year beats the national median of $35,749, it falls short of the state's $39,126 median—landing this program at just the 40th percentile among Indiana HVAC programs. For context, Ivy Tech Community College graduates start at $41,270, roughly $4,300 more per year.

The financial structure here works reasonably well despite the earnings gap. At $13,000 in debt—higher than both state and national medians—graduates still maintain a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35. That means most could realistically pay off their loans within two years of focused repayment. The 79% Pell grant population suggests this program serves students who may have limited alternatives, and the debt load, while elevated, isn't crushing. Earnings do grow modestly to nearly $40,000 by year four, closing some of the gap with state competitors.

For families prioritizing location or admission accessibility, this program delivers a functional path into steady HVAC work. However, if Ivy Tech is geographically feasible, the $4,300 starting salary difference would offset any convenience factor pretty quickly. This isn't a disaster—it's legitimate workforce training—but it's also not Indiana's strongest value in this field.