Heating & Air Conditioning at UEI College-Gardena
a compact campus enrolling 1,444 students in Gardena, CA.
Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $30,235 place UEI College-Gardena below the $36,779 national median for Heating & Air Conditioning — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.
The 0% 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.
With first-year pay of $30,235 far exceeding the $9,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
A #204 ranking among 260 Heating & Air Conditioning programs places UEI College-Gardena in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.
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.