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

HVAC programs nationally produce graduates earning around $41,000 in their first year—solid wages for a two-year degree, though not exceptional for a skilled trade that often requires working in extreme temperatures and on-call hours. With estimated debt of $12,000 based on typical borrowing at Richmond Community College, the 0.29 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment, putting this program in safer financial territory than many associate degrees.

The challenge here is uncertainty. Both the earnings and debt figures are estimates drawn from peer programs because Richmond's graduate sample is too small to report publicly. This could mean the program is very small, very new, or experiencing fluctuating enrollment. Similar programs nationally range from around $35,000 to nearly $48,000 in first-year earnings, so there's real variation in outcomes depending on program quality, local job markets, and whether graduates connect with union employers or larger commercial contractors.

For parents considering this path, the fundamentals look reasonable—HVAC remains an in-demand trade with aging infrastructure creating consistent work—but you're betting on Richmond delivering outcomes similar to the national average without school-specific evidence to confirm it. The relatively low estimated debt helps offset that risk. Connect with the program about job placement rates, whether they help students earn EPA certification during their studies, and which local employers hire their graduates.