Heating & Air Conditioning at Fortis College-Cuyahoga Falls
a compact campus enrolling 489 students in Cuyahoga Falls, OH.
Program Analysis
At $37,139/yr, Heating & Air Conditioning graduates from Fortis College-Cuyahoga Falls land near the $36,779 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.
With a 30.4x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 9% spread between best and worst-case AI scenarios signals strong resilience. Most careers in Heating & Air Conditioning involve physical, hands-on work that current AI cannot replicate.
The median debt load of $13,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.
A #155 ranking among 260 Heating & Air Conditioning programs places Fortis College-Cuyahoga Falls in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.
The limited growth from $37,139 to $41,984 over five years suggests earnings in this trade plateau relatively early in one's career.
The 15 apprenticeship pathways connected to Heating & Air Conditioning reflect strong industry infrastructure for this trade. Apprenticeships typically lead to journeyman-level wages.
Earnings Overview
Projected 10-Year Earnings
Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.
Top Career Paths
Top career paths for Heating & Air Conditioning graduates by median salary.
| Career Path | Median Salary | Growth | AI-ProofAI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers | $59,810 | +8.1% | 89% |
About Heating & Air Conditioning Careers
Your career in HVACR begins with your hands on the tools. As an apprentice, you’ll work alongside a senior technician, learning to use pressure gauges on a residential AC unit or a multimeter to diagnose a faulty furnace circuit board in a chilly basement. Soon, you'll be driving the service van, independently tackling everything from routine maintenance to emergency repairs on commercial rooftops. This is skilled, physical work that requires you to be on-site—it can’t be automated or outsourced.