2026 Best Value Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Schools in New York

[Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration](/majors/mechanical-repair-technologies/heating-air-conditioning-ventilation-refrigeration/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 13 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration students.
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2026 Best Value Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration Schools
For return on investment in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration, no school beat Suffolk County Community College this year. Located in the suburb of Selden, Suffolk County Community College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,630, with out-of-state students paying around $12,460. Typical student debt for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates is $11,246. Soon after graduation, heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration degree recipients from Suffolk County Community College generally make around $35,667. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Erie Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Buffalo, Erie Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,100 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,300 for out-of-state students. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $6,500 in student loans. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates of Erie Community College earn a median of $29,804 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Monroe Community College earned it the #3 place for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration. Set in the suburb of Rochester, Monroe Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,006, compared with $11,056 for out-of-state students. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $12,921 in student loans. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates of Monroe Community College earn a median of $54,241 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,921 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration will find it at Hudson Valley Community College, which ranked #4. Hudson Valley Community College is a large public school located in the city of Troy. In-state tuition and fees average $6,796, while out-of-state students pay about $11,852. Typical student debt for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates is $12,000. Soon after graduation, heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration degree recipients from Hudson Valley Community College generally make around $47,134. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Suny College Of Technology At Alfred earned it the #5 place for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration. Suny College Of Technology At Alfred is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Alfred. Students from in state pay about $8,892 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $16,837. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration program here. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates of Suny College Of Technology At Alfred earn a median of $42,992 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Onondaga Cortland Madison Boces ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration schools. Set in the suburb of Liverpool, Onondaga Cortland Madison Boces is a small public institution. Typical student debt for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates is $7,422. Soon after graduation, heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration degree recipients from Onondaga Cortland Madison Boces generally make around $42,145. Set against $7,422 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Apex Technical School came in at #7 for value in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration this year. Set in the city of Long Island City, Apex Technical School is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Typical student debt for heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration graduates is $9,500. Soon after graduation, heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration degree recipients from Apex Technical School generally make around $36,136. That is a strong return on a $9,500 median debt.
Suny College Of Technology At Delhi came in at #8 for value in heating, air conditioning, ventilation & refrigeration this year. Suny College Of Technology At Delhi is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Delhi. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,772, with out-of-state students paying around $12,762. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates carry a median of $20,303 in student loans. Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration graduates of Suny College Of Technology At Delhi earn a median of $48,647 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,303 median debt. Suny College Of Technology At Delhi admits about 89% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.