Home / HVAC Schools / Illinois / Chicago area
HVAC Schools in the Chicago area
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area
Programs
18
4 within 10 miles
Median pay here
$77,960
HVAC and refrigeration mechanics and installers, BLS May 2025
Lowest listed cost
$7,100
of 3 with a cost, IPEDS
HVAC Schools in the Chicago area at a glance
- Open to the public
- 18 programs: 15 at colleges and schools (IPEDS), 3 known only from the WIOA list
- Distance from Chicago
- 4 within 10 miles; nearest 6.3 miles, farthest 33.1 miles
- Listed program cost
- 3 of 18 list one: $7,100 to $15,000, middle $14,685 (IPEDS)
- Program length
- 3 colleges list a length: 4 months to 12 months (IPEDS)
- Length on the WIOA list
- 15 listed programs give weeks: 14 to 72 weeks full time
- Completions, 2023-24
- 1,206 HVAC awards at the 15 colleges that reported any (IPEDS)
- On the WIOA list
- 15 of 18 on Illinois's eligible training list (DOL file, June 30, 2025); middle 79% of exiters employed in the second quarter (7 report it)
- Pay here
- $77,960 median for HVAC and refrigeration mechanics and installers ($37.48 an hour); 10th to 90th percentile $47,460 to $117,940; 7,210 employed in the metro area; Illinois median $77,410 (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
HVAC programs, nearest to Chicago first
| Program | Where | Type | Program cost | Length | Completions | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triton College | River Grove | Certificate | Not reported | Not reported | 3 | 6.3 |
| College of DuPageWIOA list | Glen Ellyn | Certificate | Not reported | Not reported | 66 | 6.6 |
| Associated Builders and ContractorsWIOA list | Elk Grove Village | WIOA list only | Not reported | Not reported | 8.7 | |
| ETI School of Skilled TradesWIOA list | Willowbrook | Certificate | $14,685 | 12 months | 182 | 8.9 |
| Morton CollegeWIOA list | Cicero | Certificate | Not reported | Not reported | 10 | 10.4 |
| HVAC Technical InstituteWIOA list | Chicago | Certificate | $15,000 | 8 months | 138 | 12.1 |
| Oakton College | Des Plaines | Certificate | Not reported | Not reported | 37 | 13.3 |
| West Chicago Professional CenterWIOA list | West Chicago | WIOA list only | Not reported | Not reported | 13.8 | |
| Moraine Valley Community CollegeWIOA list | Palos Hills | Certificate | Not reported | Not reported | 170 | 13.9 |
| William Rainey Harper CollegeWIOA list | Palatine | Certificate | Not reported | Not reported | 26 | 15.5 |
| Chicago Professional CenterWIOA list | Prospect Heights | Certificate | $7,100 | 4 months | 159 | 16.2 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeWIOA list | Chicago | Certificate | Not reported | Not reported | 43 | 17.2 |
| Education Design Development & Research Corporation - RAP ChicagoWIOA list | Chicago | WIOA list only | Not reported | Not reported | 17.3 | |
| Elgin Community CollegeWIOA list | Elgin | Certificate | Not reported | Not reported | 107 | 21.4 |
| Waubonsee Community CollegeWIOA list | Sugar Grove | Certificate | Not reported | Not reported | 23 | 26.8 |
| Joliet Junior CollegeWIOA list | Joliet | Certificate | Not reported | Not reported | 16 | 28.6 |
| Prairie State College | Chicago Heights | Certificate | Not reported | Not reported | 11 | 29.1 |
| College of Lake CountyWIOA list | Grayslake | Certificate | Not reported | Not reported | 215 | 33.1 |
- College programs, cost and completions: IPEDS complete data files, 2024-25 collection, read October 8, 2026.
- WIOA list: DOL TrainingProviderResults.gov program file (ETA-9171), read October 8, 2026.
- Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, read October 8, 2026.
Paying for training
- WIOA in Illinois: 3,233 programs are on the state's list in the U.S. DOL file, 79 of them HVAC.
- Pell Grants for short programs
- Workforce Pell
- GI Bill