Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) at Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City

Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City's HVAC program produces first-year earnings of $44,715—substantially higher than the national median of $35,749 and placing graduates in the 95th percentile nationally for this credential. That's an impressive outcome for a program where debt appears manageable at an estimated $9,298, though this figure comes from similar programs at community colleges since the school's graduate cohort was too small for the Department of Education to report publicly.

The earnings story here is compelling: graduates start strong and see meaningful growth, reaching $55,077 by year four. That 23% earnings trajectory suggests skilled technicians who command better pay as they gain experience. Within Missouri, these earnings land at the 60th percentile—respectable, though programs like American Trade School report slightly higher first-year outcomes at $44,057. Still, MCC-Kansas City significantly outperforms the state's $41,460 median, and the estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.21 is far healthier than Missouri's typical $19,000 in debt for HVAC programs.

The caveat: we're working with estimated debt figures, so the actual financial picture for MCC-Kansas City graduates could differ. However, the earnings data is real and nationally competitive. For families weighing a skilled trades path, this program appears to deliver strong early career earnings with what's likely a reasonable debt load—assuming the national estimate holds true for this school.