Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) at Moraine Park Technical College

Wisconsin's HVAC programs typically produce strong outcomes—the state median of $47,892 is well above the national figure—making Moraine Park's estimated $35,749 particularly puzzling. While we're working with national benchmarks here rather than actual graduate data, the gap between this estimate and what other Wisconsin schools report is large enough to warrant attention. Comparable programs like Western Technical College place graduates at over $52,000, suggesting either this program's outcomes differ significantly or the estimation method doesn't capture the state's unusually strong HVAC market.

The estimated debt of $9,298 appears manageable on paper, yielding a 0.26 debt-to-earnings ratio. But this calculation is built on that suspect earnings figure. If graduates actually earn closer to Wisconsin's typical $47,892, the debt becomes even less concerning. The problem is you're making decisions without knowing which scenario is closer to reality. HVAC typically offers stable, well-paying work in Wisconsin—the state's cold climate creates consistent demand—but you can't confirm whether this specific program delivers those outcomes.

Contact Moraine Park's career services directly and ask what their HVAC graduates actually earn in their first year. Given that at least two other Wisconsin technical colleges report strong, verified outcomes in this field, you need actual placement data before committing, even to a relatively low-cost certificate program.