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HVAC Schools in Illinois
31 schools in Illinois offer HVAC-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 52 registered apprenticeship programs in Illinois train HVAC apprentices — see apprenticeships.
Occupation pay is what working HVAC professionals in Illinois earn (all experience levels) — school "earnings" figures above are medians for each school's recent federally-aided students across all its programs, which read lower.
HVAC licensing in Illinois: Licensed at city/county level
Illinois has no state HVAC license, and even Chicago issues no HVAC-specific trade license — Chicago separately licenses only electrical, plumbing, mason, and elevator trades, so HVAC contracting there runs under the city's general contractor license (Classes A–E by project value). Some downstate municipalities such as Springfield license HVAC contractors locally, so check the city where the work happens. EPA Section 608 certification is the one universal requirement for refrigerant handling.
Official source: None statewide — locally, City of Chicago Department of Buildings and individual municipal building departments · Exam: None at the state level; municipal requirements vary. EPA Section 608 required federally for refrigerant work. · Typical requirement: No state training-hour, experience, or exam requirements. Chicago's general contractor license classes (A–E) are based on maximum project value with insurance requirements (up to $5M per occurrence for Class A); HVAC subcontractors in Chicago are listed on permits rather than separately trade-licensed. Local requirements vary elsewhere.
Official license records related to HVAC in Illinois
From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:
- ASBESTOS AIR SAMPLING PROFESSIONAL — Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Environmental Health~Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Environmental Health
- PHYSICAL THERAPIST — Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
- ENGINEER, PROFESSIONAL — Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
- MINE EXAMINER — Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Mines and Minerals, Division of Mine Safety and Training~Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Mines and Minerals, Division of Mine Safety and Training~Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Mines and Minerals, Division of Mine Safety and Training
- ACUPUNCTURIST — Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
- GENETIC COUNSELORS — Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
Wage and license data provided by CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and Minnesota DEED.
Schools, ranked by earnings per tuition dollar
| School | City | Type | Net price / yr | Completion | Earnings (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joliet Junior College | Joliet | public | $1,672 | 20.4% | $42,889 |
| Illinois Valley Community College | Oglesby | public | $2,232 | 37.2% | $40,810 |
| Lake Land College | Mattoon | public | $2,254 | 55% | $38,877 |
| Moraine Valley Community College | Palos Hills | public | $2,829 | 29.6% | $43,892 |
| Richland Community College | Decatur | public | $3,741 | 31.3% | $38,793 |
| Triton College | River Grove | public | $4,138 | 18.5% | $41,728 |
| Oakton College | Des Plaines | public | $5,183 | 16% | $47,852 |
| Lincoln Land Community College | Springfield | public | $4,299 | 39.4% | $38,479 |
| Kankakee Community College | Kankakee | public | $4,665 | 33.6% | $38,767 |
| Morton College | Cicero | public | $5,191 | 26.2% | $42,406 |
| Shawnee Community College | Ullin | public | $4,162 | 42.1% | $32,999 |
| Prairie State College | Chicago Heights | public | $4,738 | 20.4% | $36,696 |
| Elgin Community College | Elgin | public | $6,026 | 32.5% | $45,516 |
| Danville Area Community College | Danville | public | $4,777 | 35.2% | $34,867 |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn | public | $7,401 | 24.7% | $46,909 |
| John A Logan College | Carterville | public | $5,541 | 31.7% | $34,096 |
| Kaskaskia College | Centralia | public | $6,477 | 39.1% | $38,801 |
| College of Lake County | Grayslake | public | $7,607 | 34.1% | $43,424 |
| John Wood Community College | Quincy | public | $7,050 | 42.1% | $38,631 |
| Sauk Valley Community College | Dixon | public | $8,493 | 47.3% | $40,458 |
| Parkland College | Champaign | public | $8,048 | 29.5% | $38,320 |
| William Rainey Harper College | Palatine | public | $11,607 | 38.4% | $48,071 |
| Waubonsee Community College | Sugar Grove | public | $11,442 | 32.2% | $44,788 |
| Illinois Eastern Community Colleges | Olney | public | $10,092 | 56.1% | $37,533 |
| Southwestern Illinois College | Belleville | public | $10,427 | 33.1% | $36,884 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | Chicago | public | $9,494 | 27.4% | $28,467 |
| Illinois Central College | East Peoria | public | $12,961 | 36.3% | $37,366 |
| ETI School of Skilled Trades | Willowbrook | private for-profit | $22,126 | 78.5% | $52,800 |
| Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career College | Rockford | private for-profit | $21,601 | 51.6% | $34,104 |
| HVAC Technical Institute | Chicago | private for-profit | $20,403 | 81% | not reported |
| Chicago Professional Center | Prospect Heights | private for-profit | not reported | not reported | not reported |
Ranking = median earnings 10 years after entry per $1,000 of average yearly net price (methodology). Figures are institution-wide federal medians for each school as a whole — not HVAC graduates specifically. Schools without both figures sort last — "not reported" means the federal dataset lacks the value, not that the school is bad.
Common questions: HVAC school in Illinois
- How much do HVAC schools cost in Illinois?
- The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 31 HVAC schools in Illinois is $6,252. Individual schools range widely — the table above shows each school's real cost, not sticker price.
- Do you need a license to work as a HVAC in Illinois?
- Illinois has no state HVAC license, and even Chicago issues no HVAC-specific trade license — Chicago separately licenses only electrical, plumbing, mason, and elevator trades, so HVAC contracting there runs under the city's general contractor license (Classes A–E by project value). Some downstate municipalities such as Springfield license HVAC contractors locally, so check the city where the work happens. EPA Section 608 certification is the one universal requirement for refrigerant handling.
- Can you get paid to train as a HVAC in Illinois?
- Yes — Illinois has 52 registered apprenticeship programs where you earn wages while you train instead of paying tuition. See the HVAC apprenticeships page for the current list.
- What does a HVAC earn in Illinois?
- Working HVAC professionals in Illinois earn a median of $77,410 per year, ranging from about $46,690 to $117,550 (U.S. Department of Labor). This is what people in the job earn, which differs from a school's reported graduate-earnings figure.
Aid deadlines for HVAC programs in Illinois
Federal and state aid programs have windows and deadlines. Get them for your trade and state, plus program matches.
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HVAC schools in nearby states
- HVAC schools in Alabama
- HVAC schools in Alaska
- HVAC schools in Arizona
- HVAC schools in Arkansas
- HVAC schools in California
- HVAC schools in Colorado
- HVAC schools in Connecticut
- HVAC schools in Delaware
- HVAC schools in Florida
- HVAC schools in Georgia
See all states & the full HVAC guide →