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

Southern Technical College's HVAC program produces graduates earning roughly the Florida median for this field, but significantly trails the stronger technical colleges in the state. At $31,990 in first-year earnings, graduates earn about $4,000 less than the national average and fall well short of top Florida programs like Manatee Technical College ($45,926) and Fort Myers Technical College ($44,343).

The debt picture offers some relief—at $11,250, it's reasonable for a technical certificate and creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35. This means graduates typically carry debt equal to about one-third of their first-year salary, which is sustainable for most students entering the trades. The program serves a predominantly low-income population, with 82% of students receiving Pell grants, making the relatively modest debt load particularly important.

However, parents should recognize that Florida offers significantly stronger HVAC programs. The top five programs in the state all produce graduates earning $40,000+ in their first year—representing $9,000 to $14,000 more annually than Southern Technical College graduates. For a field where technicians can build solid middle-class careers, starting behind by this margin matters. Consider exploring the higher-performing Florida technical colleges first, especially if location flexibility exists.