HVAC Schools in Texas
38 schools in Texas offer HVAC-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 82 registered apprenticeship programs in Texas train HVAC apprentices — see apprenticeships.
Occupation pay is what working HVAC professionals in Texas 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 Texas: State license required
Texas licenses HVAC at the state level through TDLR. Contractors need a Class A or Class B Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License, which requires 48 months of hands-on experience under a licensed contractor in the past 72 months plus a state exam; anyone assisting on maintenance or repair must hold a $20 TDLR technician registration. There is no schooling requirement — supervised field experience (including registered apprenticeship time) is the qualifying path.
Official source: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) · Exam: TDLR ACR contractor licensing exam (specific to license class and endorsement); certified technicians also test. Registered technicians take no exam. EPA Section 608 required federally for refrigerant work. · Typical requirement: Contractor: 48 months practical ACR experience under a licensed contractor within the past 72 months (or 36 months plus 12 months holding TDLR technician certification); age 18+; $115 application; liability insurance. Technician registration: age 16+, $20 fee, no exam, must work under a licensed contractor.
Official license records related to HVAC in Texas
From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:
- AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION CONTRACTOR — Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
- PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE INSPECTOR — Texas Real Estate Commission
- REAL ESTATE INSPECTOR — Texas Real Estate Commission
- REAL ESTATE APPRENTICE INSPECTOR — Texas Real Estate Commission
- PHYSICAL THERAPIST — Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners
- ASBESTOS-RELATED WORKER (Various) — Texas Department of State Health Services
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Texas College | McAllen | public | $1,751 | 32.7% | $36,788 |
| Texas Southmost College | Brownsville | public | $3,085 | 32.9% | $41,900 |
| Lamar State College-Port Arthur | Port Arthur | public | $2,846 | 32.5% | $37,120 |
| Dallas College | Dallas | public | $3,214 | 22.8% | $41,714 |
| Del Mar College | Corpus Christi | public | $3,399 | 23.7% | $38,656 |
| El Paso Community College | El Paso | public | $3,206 | 24.1% | $35,212 |
| Brazosport College | Lake Jackson | public | $4,732 | 35.9% | $45,910 |
| Wharton County Junior College | Wharton | public | $4,666 | 24.6% | $44,960 |
| Trinity Valley Community College | Athens | public | $4,092 | 29.1% | $38,567 |
| Kilgore College | Kilgore | public | $5,364 | 33.1% | $37,975 |
| North Central Texas College | Gainesville | public | $6,587 | 24.2% | $45,809 |
| Houston City College | Houston | public | $5,737 | 20.5% | $39,254 |
| Lee College | Baytown | public | $6,879 | 54.5% | $42,178 |
| South Plains College | Levelland | public | $6,791 | 24.2% | $41,276 |
| Hill College | Hillsboro | public | $7,577 | 24% | $39,572 |
| Southwest Texas College | Uvalde | public | $7,372 | 38.9% | $35,563 |
| Paris Junior College | Paris | public | $7,690 | 28.8% | $36,515 |
| Galveston College | Galveston | public | $8,412 | 35.2% | $37,233 |
| Cisco College | Cisco | public | $9,624 | 26.1% | $39,092 |
| Central Texas College | Killeen | public | $10,265 | 17% | $40,995 |
| Texarkana College | Texarkana | public | $8,812 | 44.6% | $34,647 |
| Lone Star College System | The Woodlands | public | $11,252 | 20.2% | $42,466 |
| Tyler Junior College | Tyler | public | $10,206 | 26.2% | $38,140 |
| San Jacinto Community College | Pasadena | public | $12,143 | 32.2% | $43,062 |
| Texas State Technical College | Waco | public | $13,508 | 40.4% | $38,916 |
| Interactive College of Technology | Pasadena | private for-profit | $12,629 | 25.5% | $27,182 |
| Universal Technical Institute-West Texas | Austin | private for-profit | $26,117 | 74.7% | $51,222 |
| Fortis Institute | Houston | private for-profit | $18,332 | 63.9% | $33,193 |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas | Irving | private for-profit | $27,139 | 54.4% | $42,375 |
| Arlington Career Institute | Arlington | private for-profit | $24,633 | 75.2% | $36,674 |
| Lamson Institute | San Antonio | private for-profit | $26,587 | 76% | $38,015 |
| Miller-Motte College-STVT-Arlington | Arlington | private for-profit | $22,520 | 75.8% | $31,102 |
| Remington College-Fort Worth Campus | North Richland Hills | private nonprofit | $25,913 | 51.2% | $31,349 |
| Tulsa Welding School-Dallas Campus | Irving | private for-profit | $34,533 | not reported | $41,067 |
| Fortis College | Houston | private for-profit | $27,964 | 67.4% | $33,193 |
| Tulsa Welding School-Houston | Houston | private for-profit | $35,101 | 68.4% | $41,067 |
| Remington College-Dallas Campus | Dallas | private nonprofit | $29,805 | 56.1% | $31,349 |
| Austin Career Institute LLC | Austin | private for-profit | $17,145 | 84.1% | 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 Texas
- How much do HVAC schools cost in Texas?
- The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 38 HVAC schools in Texas is $9,218. 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 Texas?
- Texas licenses HVAC at the state level through TDLR. Contractors need a Class A or Class B Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License, which requires 48 months of hands-on experience under a licensed contractor in the past 72 months plus a state exam; anyone assisting on maintenance or repair must hold a $20 TDLR technician registration. There is no schooling requirement — supervised field experience (including registered apprenticeship time) is the qualifying path.
- Can you get paid to train as a HVAC in Texas?
- Yes — Texas has 82 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 Texas?
- Working HVAC professionals in Texas earn a median of $57,760 per year, ranging from about $38,100 to $81,860 (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 Texas
Federal and state aid programs have windows and deadlines. Get them for your trade and state, plus program matches.
We may share your info with matched school and program partners so they can contact you about enrollment. Unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
HVAC schools in nearby states
- HVAC schools in Arkansas
- HVAC schools in Louisiana
- HVAC schools in Oklahoma
- HVAC schools in Alabama
- HVAC schools in Alaska
- HVAC schools in Arizona
- HVAC schools in California
- HVAC schools in Colorado
- HVAC schools in Connecticut
- HVAC schools in Delaware
See all states & the full HVAC guide →