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

Based on comparable HVAC programs nationwide, this two-year degree at Northeast Community College yields estimated first-year earnings around $41,400 with roughly $12,000 in debt—a manageable 0.29 ratio that suggests graduates can realistically handle their loans. That debt load is considerably lighter than the $17,500 national median for HVAC associate programs, which matters in a field where earnings grow with licensing and experience rather than starting high.

The caveat: similar programs in Nebraska perform notably better. Southeast Community College, the only Nebraska school with reported data, shows graduates earning $49,700—about $8,000 more than the national benchmark Northeast's figures are drawn from. That's not a trivial gap in skilled trades where every dollar counts early on. Whether Northeast's actual outcomes match Nebraska's stronger state pattern or fall closer to the national average remains unclear without program-specific data.

For a trade with strong demand and clear career progression, the estimated debt picture looks reasonable. But given that Nebraska HVAC programs appear to outperform the national median by 20%, you'd want to understand why Northeast's outcomes aren't reported and whether Southeast Community College's proximity or program structure offers advantages worth considering. The debt won't bury your child, but making sure they land in a program that matches Nebraska's earning potential rather than the national baseline matters significantly over a career.