Known for its long history, the state of Virginia is quite a successful state, harboring good relations with the Federal Government and Navy for their economic backup. Having a humid, subtropical climate, the need for HVAC systems is quite high in Virginia. It has even warmer temperatures down south. When it is winter, the temperature difference is quite notable.
So if you end up with a job as an HVAC technician in this region, rest assured, you will never run out of employment opportunities. The population has its air conditioning needs, and you will cater to them.
In fact, it is such a popular career option in Virginia that there are many institutes that provide high-quality training for you to set off in your journey as an HVAC technician.
Requirements to Be an HVAC Technician in Virginia
If you aspire to become an HVAC technician, you have the option to obtain from the three types of licenses: contractor, master, and journeyman. It does not matter if you are already a licensed technician in another state; you still have to sit for the exam for the license.
To get your hands on a journeyman license, a bachelor’s degree in an engineering-related program or relevant experience is required. For a master's license, you need a year of experience as a licensed journeyman or at least ten years' worth of experience in the field. This should also be verified by the relevant officials. To become a contractor, all you have to do is apply and test for three categories: A, B, and C. You need to be a contractor if your project costs over $1,000.
The Class A contractor license lets you work unlimitedly on any scale project, without any monetary limitations. With a Class B contractor license, you work on projects costing about $120,000. Class C contractors can work on projects costing less than $10,000 and are not allowed to take on projects worth more than $150,000 altogether on a yearly basis.
To become an HVAC engineer in Virginia, you need to get a minimum of a four-year bachelor's degree. The favored course is mechanical engineering to be a part of this career.
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Salary and Job Outlook in Virginia
Virginia is known to pay skilled technicians well enough to attract more people to the field. In 2017, the average technician wages were $22.77 per hour. They earn an average salary of $48,560 on an annual basis and have salary packages ranging from $28,400 to $69,660.
For entry-level jobs, salaries may differ slightly everywhere between $13.88 and $31.99 per hour. Since the state has set an average salary of $47,370, people are happy with it because being a technician in Virginia pays more in comparison to other states.
The success of your technician skillset has a lot to do with how experienced you are. The more experience you have, the more chances you have at getting your hands on better projects. Virginia has many training options to inspire you to become a good technician and therefore exploit your potential capability to the maximum.
Quick Take - Best HVAC Schools in Virginia
Just looking for the top three schools in your area? Here are the best HVAC schools in Virginia:
List of the Top HVAC Schools in Virginia
There have been many instances where people wish to become a technician but are unaware of the resources or academic backing they need. If you are one of those people, you have come to the right platform. Here we have compiled the best HVAC schools in Virginia to help you make your decision.
Best Overall:
Virginia Technical Institute
Address: 201 Ogden Road, Altavista, Virginia 24517
Phone: 434-369-8200
List of Programs:
- HVAC
Our Review of the Program
This technical institute has so many programs that you can take up on just to polish your skillset or to fully get on ahead with a professional degree. The HVAC course consists of an introduction to HVAC along with copper, plastic piping practices, cooling and heating air distribution systems, and much more.
What we find best is that you can choose to focus on a particular topic instead of going for the whole course. They also teach you a lot about professional practice because the competition is tough out there. They also offer affiliation with the top employers out there so you can ensure a job for yourself even before you graduate. It also keeps the students well-rounded and motivated to learn in a quality environment.
They specialize in the preparation of construction drawings and specifications and also teach many software programs that can come in handy if you wish to do a sit-at-home job. It is quite exciting to realize that HVAC jobs do not have to be a 9-5 office job; you can be a freelance contractor as well.
Best HVAC School in Richmond VA:
Fortis College
Address: 2000 Westmoreland St a, Richmond, VA 23230, United States
Phone: +1 804-323-1020
List of Programs:
- The Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVAC) training program
Our Review of the Program
The HVAC program at Fortis offers multiple benefits to its students. Firstly, it is well-known for its training in computerized diagnostics. It has the best faculty and learning environment in all of Virginia, so students are highly motivated. They know all the little things and the technical, difficult stuff too. Students here become the jack of all trades. They learn how to uphold housing, commercial, and manufacturing HVAC systems.
What they teach you here is truly special; students get to know not only how to turn theory into the application but also all of the various kinds of lab settings so that they are able to obtain the aptitude to expand on and develop any kind of heating, ventilation, or air conditioning tackle gear. The program here is perfect if you want to prepare yourself for an entry-level position as an HVAC technician, which includes handling equipment and its mechanics.
To conclude, this institute is the one to go for if you want an all-in-one kind of experience. You really cannot go wrong with this one in applications and theory. The school truly knows the art of HVAC systems and has the best faculty at hand too.
Address: 5700 Southern Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Phone: 888-346-2315
List of Programs:
- HVAC/Refrigeration
Our Review of the Program
The best thing about this institute is that it offers many options to choose from. You can go for an Associate in Occupational Science (A.O.S.) degree, which instills in students know-how of the contemporary test equipment and tools.
Many students like to spend time in the learning environment, which is of very high quality here, and learn all that they can while being trained by the best HVAC technicians. They are also prepared for entry-level employment and many different certification exams such as Refrigerant and Handling Certification.
An interesting course they offer is the Service Management coursework, through which students are able to handle business management along with customer service. It really polishes their communication skills, thus helping them land better jobs.
Not only that, but you also learn how to manage business financial reports, which can be very useful if you plan on starting your own business later down the lane. The classes are for four days every week for the duration of 21 months.
Another option you can go for is their Undergraduate Certificate in Air Conditioning & Heating Technology (Diploma). This imparts both hands-on knowledge and training from the best HVAC technicians. This course is good for those who are only getting prepared for the industry. It goes on for 60 weeks.
Address: 3506 Wards Road, Lynchburg, VA 24502-2498
Phone: 434-832-7600
List of Programs:
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration I
- Circuits and Controls I
- Air Conditioning Systems I
- Heating Systems I
Our Review of the Program
We find this program to be the best for those who want to learn just some basic skills when it comes to heating and air conditioning. Once it is completed, the students can easily find work as a beginner-level worker or just an assistant. In either case, it is really beneficial to help you get started with the needs and requirements of the industry.
You get an HVAC certificate, which ensures that you know all about heating and air conditioning. It also consists of advanced skills when it comes to heat pumps, controls, electricity, and circuit basics. The whole schedule is devised of theory subjects that can be applied to practice in real life.
If you go for this, you are sure to come out a jack of all trades. It is the best choice for those who, instead of specializing, want an overall basic knowledge of HVAC so they can get hands-on with anything.
It really sets you on the right track for things such as employment opportunities when it comes to servicing and repair options of air conditioning, refrigeration, or heating systems. This course goes on for a whole year and offers 29 credits for completion.
Address: Virginia Highlands Community College, 100 VHCC Drive, Abingdon, VA 24210
Phone: 276-739-2400
List of Programs:
- Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating
Our Review of the Program
This institute offers a degree and diploma both in HVAC. It offers up-to-date technical skills so that you can have the best shot at the employment opportunities in the rising $150 billion HVACR business. Moreover, students get to cover everything within the classroom, but they are still offered application courses in their labs.
Once they graduate, they are free to get jobs as an air conditioning, heating, refrigeration, or HVACR technician. They can also open their own businesses and work as contractors or control technicians. Another great opportunity that they have is working as an indoor air quality technician, which is a rising career choice in Virginia. For the flexibility of students, day and evening programs are offered.
The school also has a career explorer through which you can browse through multiple career opportunities in your area and find the one best suitable for your needs as a technician. You can also find a list of resources, academic or otherwise, to help you with your studies.
It is one of the most resourceful institutes, in our opinion. It has everything you need to become a top technician who knows about all the problems and their most effective solutions.
Address: 1000 Dabney Drive, Clifton Forge, Virginia 24422
Phone: 540-863-2800
List of Programs:
- HVAC Levels 1-4
Our Review of the Program
Not only does this school offer four different courses for HVAC in a single go, but it also has online sessions, if, for some reason, you cannot come to campus, or are restricted by location. This means that you could be in Maine and get your contractor license within a year or four, depending on if you go for a diploma or a degree.
The first level introduces the students to the basic training in electricity and electrical safety, along with the basics of heating systems and combustion processes. They also get to learn about various other practices in the industry so they can be up to date after entering the market.
The course also covers HVAC from the commercial aspect and all the detailing attributes of HVAC, which further prepares them for the industry at an advanced level. This is a good opportunity for people who are looking for an advanced course, and not just basic level knowledge of HVAC systems.
Lastly, they teach their students how to have good customer relations and manage their own business, which is essential if you are a technician.
To conclude, all of the courses combined amount to 80 hours of training, which consists of homework. The best part is that all the academic sources are funded by the school, so you don’t have to pay for anything apart from the tuition fee. You also get unlimited access to the internet, and you can also apply for financial assistance to reduce tuition fees by two-thirds.
Address: Green District Administration Building, 121 College Place, Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: 800-371-0898
List of Programs:
- HVAC
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
Our Review of the Program
At this school, the ideology revolves around fair practice and equal opportunities. This means that it offers high quality, inclusive education. All the different courses are made, keeping in mind the need for job placements in all sorts of modern and traditional forms.
Moreover, TCC promises a great environment for a mind-bending educational experience. It has a very flexible schedule, so all age groups and people can come here to learn. It also allows transfers and offers huge cost savings because of financial assistance and the in-house resource center.
This is the program to go for if you are into keeping the environment healthy, too, while maintaining the practice because the institute offers an Environmental Protection Agency certificate to their graduates. Once you impart on your journey from here, you will have a great customer relation skill set along with a great amount of hands-on learning experience by some of the most well-known technicians in Virginia.
Moreover, the HVAC/R program is a great option for students who are worried about the job outlook. Technicians are always high in demand, but they need to have the right skillset and attitude. These two things are picked on by this school and ensures that these two characteristics are inculcated in the students.
Address: 14101 Parke Long Ct, Suite G, Chantilly, VA 20151
Phone: 703-352-7777
List of Programs:
- Air Conditioning
- Electricity
Our Review of the Program
In our opinion, this one is the best to go for if you are a beginner and are looking to impart on an exciting journey to the HVAC world. Here, the focus is not on the theory, but on hands-on training. This is because the ideology is that people learn by doing and not by reading. The school also gives you certifications of the skill set you have acquired to show your future employers.
You need to be super smart to get ahead in this institute because its grading criteria are on a high, which skims it from the rest of the programs offered at other institutes. It offers solid training, which makes you fully prepared for the practical skills which you need to know in HVAC dealings in the real world.
The school also believes that everyone has a different learning pace, which is why individual guidance is also offered so the student can catch up with the rest, if, for any reason, he feels left behind or is unable to grasp some content. This is perhaps the best thing about this institute. This way, you don’t have to go to Google to understand some part of your lecture. Time is the most valuable thing you can give as a teacher, and it is prominent here.
Address: 6713 Smith Station Road, Spotsylvania, VA 22553
Phone: 540-898-2655
List of Programs:
- HVAC-R
Our Review of the Program
This school lets you get all the benefits in a single go. Whether you are enrolled for a short course or a degree, the faculty will work just as hard on you to polish you from the inside out. It focuses not only on education and application but also on your personality and who you are as an individual. Being a student here, you can learn various skills that are applicable later in the future when you are out on the field.
Students here have an option to either commit to a two-year study program or go for certifications. They have nineteen programs in total, and all have the best faculty in all of Virginia. They ensure the success of your future by teaching you things which are important for your success. Once you are done with the school, you will be amazed at how well you can handle everything, from people to your work and work ethics.
They offer their courses at a reasonable amount too. They hook up their students with industry giants to ensure their success and have the best of the best to do their quality work for them. They not only provide but create opportunities that you, as a student, can give to the world.
Address: 1008 South Main Street, Danville, VA 24541
Phone: 434-797-2222
List of Programs:
- Air Conditioning
Our Review of the Program
If you are looking for a college that feels like home, this is it. It provides so many programs that you will wonder if you will become a jack of all trades after graduation. You can not only rely on this one for your educational services, but also for career training. Not only that, but it has customized classes so that every individual can learn equally.
It is strongly committed to offering a high-quality workforce to the employers so they will polish you till you become one of the top candidates. It promotes its students in every stage so that once they are ready, they don’t have to wait to find a job. They know well how to run and enhance their business alongside community development.
For people who have worked with employees already, there are advanced courses that they can benefit from or improve their customer relationships because that is very important in the service industry. The best part is that this institute is not on a small scale; it is recognized by companies worldwide, so you can land a job anywhere you go. It offers reliable ways for you to seek jobs in any state and not have to sit for exams.
HVAC Schools in Virginia Comparison Table
Now that you have an insight on all the above-mentioned HVAC institutes in Virginia, you might still need a clear cut picture of which one to look further into. To help you make your decision quicker and easier, we have a comparison table here;
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Conclusion
To conclude, there are so many options when it comes to HVAC training to choose from in Virginia that picking the best can be a very difficult decision. Some things you need to consider are the tuition fee, the faculty, the learning environment, and the job prospects that you can avail by affiliating yourself with a certain institute.
Nearby HVAC Schools
Here are HVAC schools in nearby states:
