As of right now, the HVACR industry is thriving. For the past few years now, HVACR products have been incredibly sought after because of the benefits that they offer to everyone. Likewise, HVACR professionals have also been in demand for some time now because they are the ones who can install and repair the HVACR products in various buildings. Because of all this demand, the industry is steadily growing. And it will continue to grow in the years to come.

Table of Contents hide
1 Top Online HVACR Schools in the U.S.A.
1.1 Ferris State University
1.2 Excelsior College
1.3 Penn Foster Career School
1.4 University of Central Florida
1.5 Ashworth College
1.6 Air Conditioning Contractors of America
1.7 University of North Dakota
1.8 HVAC Training Solutions
1.9 Midlands Technical College
1.10 Charter College
1.11 Takeaway: Interested in Getting an Education in HVACR?

         Because of the fact that the HVACR industry has proven to be a lucrative one, so many people have expressed their desire to work in this industry. However, before anyone can fulfill their dreams as an HVACR professional, they should first know that the HVACR industry is a complex one. And in order for someone to officially become an HVACR professional, they must first undergo some necessary education and training. That way, they will know everything there is to know about the HVACR industry, and they will also be qualified to actually serve their customers.

         As your luck would have it, there are actually a lot of institutions out there that offer programs that are related to HVACR. Some of these institutions are even online schools, thus giving you the option of learning at your own time and pace. These institutions that offer HVACR programs can be found everywhere, especially in the United States. In other words, if you’re an aspiring HVACR professional residing in the U.S., you shouldn’t have a hard time finding the right HVACR school for you. 

         To help you get started with your search, here are some online schools in the U.S. that offer HVACR programs. You can start your search by looking through these institutions first. 

Top Online HVACR Schools in the U.S.A.

Ferris State University

Website: https://www.ferris.edu/ 

         Ferris State University is located in Big Rapids, Michigan and was ranked #61 on U.S. News and World Report’s 2016 list of the best regional universities in the Midwest. This institution offers an online program that leads to a Bachelor of Science in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR) Engineering Technology and Engineering Management. To apply for this program, students need to have an associate degree in HVAC technology with a 2.5 GPA or higher. Once admitted, students will complete two years of upper-division coursework. 

         The HVACR curriculum includes courses such as contracting issues in HVACR, direct digital control, energy audit and analysis, control theory, and commercial HVAC system design. Additionally, there is a five-day lab session held during the second-year summer semester that students must complete on campus. Students will also be required to complete a summer internship to gain hands-on experience. 

Excelsior College

Website: https://www.excelsior.edu/

         Excelsior College is a private, nonprofit, regionally accredited \college founded in 1971, and its academic calendar works on a trimester system. Based in Albany, New York, the school offers an instructor-led online HVAC technician certificate program designed for students at all levels of experience and education. 

         This program prepares students for an entry-level position in HVAC technology. It is divided into 16 sections, and each section lasts 60 days and has six modules. Students will learn all about safety procedures, refrigerant handling, and fossil fuel combustion systems, as well as the installation, design, and maintenance of HVAC systems. 

         After successfully completing the program, students will be ready to sit for a test to become certified by industry organizations, such as North American Technician Excellence and the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute. 

Penn Foster Career School

Website: https://penn-foster.com/

         Penn Foster Career School is one of the oldest and largest online trade schools in the country. Its faculty continually monitors the advances and demands of every field, and so, the coursework always reflects the most current practices. Additionally, the programs are always convenient since the lessons and the learning aids are sent right to the students’ homes. Essentially, by enrolling at Penn Foster, students will receive a high-quality professionally focused education that will move them significantly towards their goals.

         For HVAC, Penn Foster offers an HVAC/HVACR Technician Career Diploma. In this online program, students get to learn about refrigerant, cooling, heating, and other systems, AC and DC power sources, fuel systems, system evacuation, refrigerants, system charging, electronic, automatic, and programmable controls, domestic appliances, and commercial refrigeration. 

         Moreover, Penn Foster’s HVAC training program includes an EPA Certification test voucher and registration, EPA Air Conditioning Preparatory Manual, Residential Oil Burners Reference Text, Multimeter and Multimeter Operation Manual, and the Troubleshooting HVACR Equipment Reference Text. 

University of Central Florida

Website: https://www.ucf.edu/

         The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a state university in Orlando, Florida. Founded in 1963 by the Florida Legislature, UCF opened in 1968 as Florida Technological University, with the mission of providing personnel to support the growing U.S. space program at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Florida’s Space Coast. As of right now, UCF has expanded its academic scope, and it currently has more students enrolled on campus than any other U.S. university.

         UCF has partnered with ed2go.com and HVACReducation.net to offer a nationally recognized online HVACR Certified Technician training program. This renowned school gives students an all-encompassing distance education in HVACR that significantly prepares them for their future careers. In particular, the program teaches students electrical DC theory, electrical common components, and refrigerant technology.

         As part of the program tuition, UCF provides students with paid vouchers that allow them to sit for five certification exams: the NATE or HVAC Excellence Core and Excellence AC Specialty Exams, and the EPA 608 Type I, II, and III Exams — each of which drastically increases job availability and prowess within the field. 

Ashworth College

Website: https://www.ashworthcollege.edu/

         Ashworth College is a for-profit online college that is based in Norcross, Georgia. It operates subsidiary schools Madison School of Healthcare, PCDI Canada, and James Madison High School. 

         Ashworth College is a well-respected online school that offers one of the most affordable heating and air conditioning training programs available. The curriculum of Ashworth’s Career Diploma in Heating and Air Conditioning follows industry standards and provides students with virtual field trips, crucial techniques, and special activities designed to enhance education. In particular, the program focuses heavily on the following topics: residential air conditioning systems, HVACR installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting, and heat pump systems. 

         Upon completion of this program, students will have the knowledge to sit for all three sections of the ESCO Institute’s EPA Section 608 Certification Exam, as well as any state’s licensure or certification procedures. Essentially, Ashworth gives students the resources to emerge into an incredibly important industry that is highly in need of educated individuals. 

Air Conditioning Contractors of America 

Website: https://www.acca.org/

         The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) is the largest HVAC contractor organization in the U.S. It is a non-profit association with a membership that includes more than 60,000 professionals and 4,000 businesses in the indoor environment and energy services community. 

         Even though ACCA is actually an organization and not really an educational institution, it still offers an Online Certificate Program in Residential HVAC for aspiring HVAC professionals. The program is designed for students of all backgrounds, both technical and nontechnical, and it is built in three modules — containing 28 separate lesson units in all. In this program, students work through complex video classes and coursework modules in which they learn the design, application, and maintenance of complex HVAC systems. 

         This complex program ensures that students are well-prepared to enter into each section of the class, as well as into the workforce itself. The certificate is designed to expire every five years so that students will continue to learn and understand any updates to HVAC systems. Furthermore, ACCA has partnered with numerous impressive corporations, thus giving students majorly beneficial networking connections upon graduation from this online school. 

University of North Dakota

Website: https://und.edu/

         The University of North Dakota (UND) is a public research university in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Established in 1883, it is the state’s oldest university. It was initially founded with a liberal arts foundation and eventually expanded to include scientific research. 

         For HVACR, UND has partnered with ed2go so as to provide online programs for aspiring HVACR professionals. In particular, the college offers an HVACR Certified Technician program and HVACR Technician program. These comprehensive training programs are designed to prepare installers and technicians to successfully pass a range of national HVACR certification exams, including the EPA 608 Refrigerant Handling Exam, the R-410A Refrigerant Handling Qualification, and the students’ choice of certification exams from NATE or HVAC Excellence. As part of the program, students receive vouchers to sit for the most common industry certification exams. 

HVAC Training Solutions

Website: https://www.hvactrainingsolutions.net/

         HVAC Training Solutions is an online school that offers an online certificate program that encompasses entry-level HVAC training. This course allows students to learn at their own pace and consists of video lectures that include theory, electrical, and diagnostics covering commercial refrigeration, gas heat, heat pumps, and air conditioning. Additionally, HVAC Training Solutions offers online simulations of HVAC repair and maintenance scenarios to better train the students. 

Midlands Technical College

Website: https://www.midlandstech.edu/

         Midlands Technical College is a public technical college that is one of South Carolina’s largest two-year colleges with approximately 16,000 students. It offers approximately 100 associate degrees, diplomas, and certificate programs of study and is the largest source of transfer students to the University of South Carolina-Columbia. 

         For aspiring HVAC professionals, Midlands provides a 120-hour online HVAC program that can be used as 12 CEUs for select certifications. In addition to rigorous training on topics that have been identified as essential knowledge by HVACR industry groups, this program also offers extra lessons, such as lessons for two specialized NATE certifications: heat pump and basic air conditioning, and electrical controls and troubleshooting.

Charter College

Website: https://www.chartercollege.edu/ 

         Charter College is a network of private, for-profit independent institutions of higher education. It offers programs in healthcare, business, veterinary science, information technology, and select trade careers. Charter operates campuses in five states and offers certificates, associate, and bachelor’s degrees. 100% of the online programs are available for select programs. 

         Charter College has an online Associate of Applied Science in Applied Technology degree. This program is designed for trade and craft professionals who have completed a certificate or substantial coursework in a trade program, such as welding, plumbing, electrician, or HVAC. The applied technology degree program includes coursework in project management and customer service, coursework in oral and written communication, ethics, and advanced office software. Graduates receive training on the professional side of the trade. This online program takes five months to complete and is open to applicants with at least 54 quarter credit hours in a trades concentration or who are graduates of a trade program.

         Upon successful completion of the applied technology degree program, students could enhance an existing trade or craft career, seek, or obtain entry-level employment in a trade-related field. 

Takeaway: Interested in Getting an Education in HVACR?

         The HVACR industry is undoubtedly a lucrative one. There is a high demand for HVACR products as well as the service of HVACR technicians. Because of the steady growth in popularity of the HVACR industry, there are so many people who would like to become an HVACR professional someday. 

         However, one thing that people should know about working in the HVACR industry is that before you become a professional, you need to have experience first. What this means is that to find work in the HVACR industry, you will need an education (usually a certificate or a degree) and training. And after the education, you will have to pass a special exam to certify yourself as an HVACR professional. Long story short, there are a lot of things that you need to do before officially becoming an HVACR professional, and the first on that list is to get an education.

         Luckily, there are actually a lot of institutions that offer programs and courses in HVACR. Even better, some of these institutions offer these programs and courses online. This will give you flexibility in terms of time, and this will also take out the hassle of commuting. These programs and courses are designed to teach students how to service, troubleshoot, install, and operate HVACR systems. And after taking these classes, students can apply what they have learned in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. 

        Institutions that offer courses and programs in HVACR can literally be found everywhere.  The United States alone houses quite a number of them. The ten mentioned above are only some of the well-known online schools for HVACR. There are definitely more out there. But if you’re just starting out your search for the right online school to study HVACR, this list is a good place to start. After all, the institutions mentioned above are already well-respected, so you know that you will definitely get a good education and training.

 

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