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

This UEI College HVAC program delivers below-average earnings outcomes that should give parents pause. Graduates earn a median of $33,444 one year out, which falls short of both the national median ($35,749) and significantly trails the California state median ($38,137) for HVAC programs. Among California's 44 HVAC programs, this ranks in just the 40th percentile—meaning 60% of comparable in-state programs produce better earnings outcomes.

The debt picture is more encouraging, with graduates owing a manageable $9,500 at completion. This creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28, which is reasonable for a technical program. However, the debt level still sits in the 75th percentile nationally, meaning most similar programs nationwide leave students with less debt burden.

The fundamental concern is the earnings gap: graduates here earn about $5,000 less annually than the state average for HVAC programs, and top California programs like DeHart Technical School produce graduates earning over $10,000 more. Given that HVAC is a stable, in-demand field with good long-term prospects, your child would likely be better served by a program that delivers earnings closer to industry standards. The 75% Pell Grant rate suggests the school serves lower-income students well, but the below-average outcomes make this a questionable investment when stronger alternatives exist in California.