How SkillCat Ranks Trade Schools
Learn more about how we rank trade schools to help you make the best decision for your career in the skilled trades.
Picking a trade school is no walk in the park. There's so much to consider to ensure that the training is worth your coin.
We did the hard work for you and ranked various HVAC trade schools so you can make the best decision to start your career in the skilled trades!
Our Process
Our process starts with a list of HVAC trade schools and programs within a state. Then, we score each school to determine their overall ranking.
Our mission is to rank trade schools based on factors YOU care about.
The process of scoring starts with learning what factors prospective students consider most when picking a trade school. We heard your thoughts through various conversations and interviews. In the end, we decided to score each trade school on the following criteria:
-
Cost
-
Curriculum
-
Post-Graduation Statistics
-
Average Post-Graduation Salary
Cost
In conversations, we found that cost was often the most important factor when comparing trade schools.
Trade schools may offer multiple HVAC programs at varying price points. For example, Associate Degrees of Applied Sciences (AAS) are often more expensive than Certifications of Completions.
Using information on each school's websites, we calculated the cost of each program based on total credits. Lower cost programs receive a higher cost score, and often is the tiebreaker for schools that end up with the same score.
Please note that all costs we included on our ranking list are specifically in-district tuition only. The total amount you may pay depends on your proximity to the school as well as fees different schools charge for. Information on total cost of attendance can typically be found on school websites or upon calling admission offices.
Curriculum
Each school’s HVAC program curriculum is judged based on certifications offered and level of hands-on training.
Various certifications are necessary for the HVAC field. Having these certifications under your belt can help you stand out for job applications and promotions:
-
EPA 608 or 609
-
OSHA 10 or 30
-
North American Technician Excellence (NATE)
In addition to certifications, we also considered the level of hands-on training within curriculums.
Most campuses have lab equipment to showcase common field techniques. Schools on our ranking list receive higher curriculum scores if they also show to have more hands-on applications in their programs beyond their labs.
Post-Graduation Statistics
Prospective students often take into account the graduation rate and employment rate of an institution.
These two statistics are combined under this category as trade schools offer programs other than HVAC, making them more general statistics.
To find graduation rate, we referred to The College Scoreboard, managed by the U.S. Department of Education; to find employment rate, we referred to Niche, an online resource where students can share their thoughts and ratings of institutions nationwide.
Average Post-Graduation Salary
All in all, students attend trade schools with the hopes that a diploma will get them a chance at a job with an increased salary.
We referred to The College Scoreboard, managed by the U.S. Department of Education to provide you with the average salary students received upon graduating. While information on this was scarce, we used the average post-graduate salary of students who specifically graduated from an HVAC program within the school whenever possible.
Got a Suggestion?
We want to hear what you have to say about our ranking factors! If you have any questions, concerns, or things you want us to consider, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@skillcatapp.com.