10 Best HVAC Schools inIowa

1West Iowa Tech Community College

About the School

West Iowa Tech Community College provides a variety of training programs that prepare students for rewarding careers in many in-demand fields.

There is no fee to apply to West Iowa.

West Iowa Tech Community College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

The College offers courses at its campuses in Sioux City, Cherokee, Denison, and online.

Courses Offered

West Iowa Tech offers a Heating Certification program that teaches students how to maintain and troubleshoot residential heating equipment.

Students learn the skills needed to become heating technicians by working in a hands-on lab environment.

The HVAC facility is equipped with state-of-the-art and conventional heating systems where they receive hands-on training.

The program covers topics on:

• Industrial Safety
• Basic Electrical Theory
• Heating Fundamentals
• Gas Heating
• Hydronic Heating Systems
• Electric Motors and Controls
• And more

This program costs approximately $3,350 for in-state students- which includes tuition and fees.

Contact Information

• Address: Beltway Center: 3415 Highway 75 North, Sioux City
• Phone: 712.274.6449
• Website: https://www2.witcc.edu

2Hawkeye Community College

About the School

Hawkeye Community College offers a variety of diploma, degree, and apprenticeship programs.

Financial assistance is available for students who qualify.

Hawkeye Community College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

Courses Offered

The College provides programs in Heating and Air Conditioning to equip students with entry-level skills in installing, maintaining and repairing residential and commercial heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems.

A Diploma and Apprenticeship programs are available.

The degree program can be completed in one year and covers topics on:

• Applied Electricity for HVACR
• Applied Electricity
• Residential Heating Systems
• Alternative Heating and Cooling Systems
• Refrigeration
• Applied Practices
• Internship
• And more

Students who graduate from the Diploma program also complete the first three levels of the HVAC apprenticeship program which includes four levels in total.

The HVAC apprenticeship combines classroom instruction with on-the-job training that takes place at a sponsor who employs the student.

To qualify for admission to the HVAC diploma program, applicants need a 2.0 GPA, 2.5 in Reading, and 1 in Writing.

Alternatively, students need Accuplacer scores of 40 in Arithmetic, 58 in Reading, and 42 in Sentence skills.

Compass, ACT, and Accuplacer Next-Generation scores are also accepted.

Contact Information

• Address: 1501 East Orange Road, P.O. Box 8015, Waterloo, IA 50704-8015
• Phone: 319-296-2320
• Website: https://www.hawkeyecollege.edu

3Kirkwood Community College

About the School

Kirkwood Community College offers more than 130 majors and programs that prepare students for careers in healthcare, business, industrial technology, IT, science, and many other fields.

The College’s catalog includes two-year degree programs, one-year certificates, and diplomas, as well as short-term programs.

High school dual credit is also available.

Kirkwood Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Courses Offered

The HVAC Installer program offered by Kirkwood Community College is designed to be completed in one year.

The curriculum focuses primarily on residential and light commercial equipment and covers installation procedures, code requirements, electrical applications, and refrigerant handling.

This program includes 34.5 credits in total.

Tuition is approximately $6,420.

Additional costs include fees- which sum up to $845, and books- which cost roughly $650.

This brings the total estimated cost to around $7,910.

The program includes the following industry endorsements and certifications:

• CFC Refrigerant Handling
• NCCER HVAC Level 1
• NCCER Electrical Level 1
• OSHA-10- General Construction
• Adult First Aid with CPR

Contact Information

• Address: 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404
• Phone: 319-398-5411
• Website: https://www.kirkwood.edu

4Iowa Central Community College

About the School

Iowa Central Community College offers a variety of training programs that prepare students for careers in high-demand industries.

It is offering flat-free tuition for full-time students who take between 12-18 credits per semester.

The flat per-semester rate is $3,000 for in-state students.

Iowa Central Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Tuition-free courses are also available through the Future Ready Iowa- Dollar Scholarship.

This scholarship is available for students who want to earn a post-secondary credential that helps them get a job that is in high demand in Iowa.

The scholarship is not based on income, but students must fill out a FAFSA to be eligible.

The Heating and Air Conditioning Technology program qualifies for this scholarship.

The program teaches students how to work with heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and refrigeration systems in homes, businesses, and other types of buildings.

Graduates are ready for entry-level employment as commercial heating/air conditioning service technicians, heating/air conditioning lab technicians, sales engineers, and other positions in the HVAC field.

Contact Information

• Address: One Triton Cir, Fort Dodge, IA 50501
• Phone: 800-362-2793 
• Website: https://www.iowacentral.edu

5Des Moines Area Community College

About the School

Des Moines Area Community College offers training programs that help students start rewarding careers that require two-year degrees or certificates.

Its catalog includes a Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Technology program designed to be completed in two years.

Those interested can apply by vising the college’s website.

Des Moines Area Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission- an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

Courses Offered

The curriculum covers the theory, knowledge, and skills behind HVAC systems in residential and light commercial structures.

The Associate of Applied Science degree is awarded to students who complete all five terms, but a diploma can be awarded after completing three semesters.

The curriculum covers topics on:

• Fundamentals of Refrigeration
• HVAC Trade Skills I
• Applied Math
• Sheet Metal Fabrication
• Applied Heating and AC
• Commercial HVAC/Refrigeration
• And more

Tuition is $178 per credit.

Contact Information

• Address: 1100 7th Street, Des Moines, IA 50314
• Phone: 515-244-4226
• Website: https://www.dmacc.edu

6Iowa Western Community College

About the School

Iowa Western Community College offers a variety of industrial technology programs.

Its catalog includes the following Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning programs:

• HVAC/R Maintenance Certificate- a program designed to prepare students for careers as HVAC technicians
• HVAC/R Technology Diploma- a program that includes 40 credits in total

The Maintenance Certificate teaches students how to troubleshoot and service HVAC/R systems.

The curriculum includes 16 credits in total and covers the following topics:

• Forced Air Heating Systems
• Equipment Safety and Operation
• Applied Practices I: Repair and Service
• Electricity for HVAC/R
• Technician Math

The Diploma Program includes the classes in the Certificate program and other classes, such as:

• Boilers and Hydronic Systems
• Applied Practices II: Advanced Repair and Service
• Motors and Controls
• Air Conditioning Principles
• Alternative Energy Sources
• Internship or Capstone
• Applied Practices III: Installation
• Soldering, Piping, and Fitting

Tuition is $187 per credit hour for Iowa residents.

Financial aid is available for students who qualify.

Additional fees include college service, first-time enrollment, and payment plan fees.

Contact Information

• Address: 2700 College Rd. Council Bluffs, IA 51503
• Phone: 712-325-3277
• Website: https://www.iwcc.edu

7North Iowa Area Community College

About the School

North Iowa Area Community College helps students build the skills needed for a career in a high-demand field.

The College’s catalog includes a Heating and Air Conditioning degree and a Heating and Air Conditioning Technology diploma.

North Iowa Area Community College has been accredited since 1919 by the Higher Learning Commission.

The College is located four miles east of downtown Mason City, Iowa, and serves northern Iowa and Southern Minnesota.

The total cost is $199 per semester hour for resident students and includes tuition, materials, lab and supply fees, student activity fees, and technology fees.

Courses Offered

The curriculum includes classes in:

• Residential Heating Systems- four semester hours
• Troubleshooting Heating Systems- three semester hours
• Skills and Safety in Industry- one semester hour
• Applied Math
• Human Relations
• Introduction to Entrepreneurship
• Workplace Professionalism
• Commercial Air Conditioning Systems- five semester-hour course
• And many more

The A.A.S. program includes 60 semester hours, while the Diploma program includes 30 semester hours.

Contact Information

• Address: 500 College Drive, Mason City, IA 50401
• Phone: 641-423-1264
• Website: https://www.niacc.edu

8Indian Hills Community College

About the School

The HVAC & Refrigeration Diploma program at the Indian Hills Community College is designed to prepare students for a career in this rapidly growing field.

The college has three campuses: Ottumwa, Centerville, and North Campus, and service centers in four additional counties.

The program can be completed in six months and prepares students for entry-level employment in the heating and air-conditioning service industry.

Students are trained in a hands-on lab environment.

Indian Hills Community College is a public post-secondary institution.

It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.

Indian Hills Community College has a tuition rate of $195 per credit hour for Iowa residents and online students.

Courses Offered

The HVAC & Refrigeration program includes classes such as:

• Introduction to Computers
• Industrial Electricity
• Heating/Cooling Fundamentals
• Technical Math for Industry
• Heating and Air Conditioning Trade Codes
• Refrigeration Certification
• Employability Skills
• And more

In total, this program awards 13 credits.

Contact Information

• Address: 525 Grandview Avenue Ottumwa, Iowa 52501
• Phone: (800) 726-2585
• Website: https://www.indianhills.edu

9Local 125 Training Center

About the School

Local 125 Training Center is a union of plumbers, pipefitters, and HVACR service techs.

The Center offers apprenticeships that allow students to earn a salary while preparing for a career.

The training center is located in Cedar Rapids and serves the area from Tama to the Mississippi and from Missouri to Minnesota.

The facility is 50,000 square feet of state-of-the-art technology.

A computer lab with distance learning and conference facilities is also located at the center.

Students attend classes at the training center for six-seven forty-hour weeks per year, about once every month.

Apprentices receive a starting salary that is 40 percent of the journeyman rate and receive 5 percent increases approximately every six months if their work and school performance are satisfactory.

To qualify for admission, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a high school graduate or have a GED equivalent

Students also need to have math skills such as adding, subtracting, dividing, multiplying, and using formulas.

Trainees should understand technical documents such as graphs, charts, and blueprints.

The application fee is $25.

Applicants need to submit a National Career Readiness Certificate, which tests the individual’s performance on three skills: applied mathematics, locating information, and reading.

Contact Information

• Address: 5101 J Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
• Phone: (319) 362-9259
• Website: https://www.ua125jatc.com

10Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 33

About the School

With an experience of over 130 years in serving the plumbing and mechanical construction and service industry, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 33 provides craftmanship in central and western Iowa.

The union has a productive workforce of 1,650 plumbers, steamfitters, welders, and HVAC/refrigeration technicians who provide services for houses, and commercial and industrial facilities.

Courses Offered

Local Union 33 offers apprenticeship programs that allow trainees to earn hourly wages while learning a new craft.

Trainees spend 246 hours in classroom training where they learn about the latest advances in the industry and between 1,700-2,000 hours in on-the-job training.

To qualify for admission to an apprenticeship, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a high school graduate or have a GED
• Have a valid driver’s license
• Appear for interview
• Take and pass a drug test before going to work

The apprenticeship program in HVAC/Refrigeration teaches students how to install, repair, and troubleshoot air conditioning and heating equipment for many different types of systems in a variety of industries.

After completing the program, students will have the knowledge and skills needed to pass HVAC and Refrigeration exams.

Contact Information

• Address: Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union 33: 2501 Bell Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50321
• Phone: 515-243-3244
• Website: https://www.ualocal33.org