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

The estimated $9,300 in debt for this HVAC certificate sits comfortably below the national median of $10,223, but the earnings picture deserves closer scrutiny. Based on comparable HVAC programs nationwide, first-year earnings of roughly $35,749 lag noticeably behind what Kansas programs typically deliver—the state median is $41,070, and nearby schools like Kansas City Kansas Community College report outcomes above $43,000. That $5,000-7,000 gap matters significantly when you're starting a skilled trade career.

The 0.26 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment in theory, but you're paying community college debt for below-average Kansas outcomes in a field where stronger programs exist within the state. HVAC is generally a solid trade with consistent demand, but location and program quality clearly affect starting wages. Without actual graduate data from Seward County, it's impossible to know whether their students match these national estimates or achieve the higher earnings common elsewhere in Kansas.

Before committing, your family should directly ask Seward County about their graduates' actual placement rates and starting wages with local employers. If they can't provide concrete outcomes data, that's a red flag. Given the stronger reported results from other Kansas HVAC programs, it's worth seriously considering whether those alternatives might deliver better returns on a similar investment.