Best HVAC Schools in Alabama (2026)

The HVAC Fast Track at Alabama Power's training center in Jasper compresses installation and service training into three to four months, with classes running Monday through Thursday from 8am to 4pm. Participants earn EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification along with other employment-ready credentials, and employers are traditionally invited on the final day to interview graduating candidates.

Enrollment is open to high school or GED graduates age 18 and older, and seating is limited, so interviews may be used to decide who gets in. The center itself has trained more than 38,000 participants from 45 states and three countries since 1986, and its course list runs from basic HVAC and refrigeration through advanced classes, state board review, and NATE review.

Working technicians can use the center for shorter goals: a review course covering the books and materials for the State of Alabama HVAC Contractor's Certification Exam, a five-hour Refrigerant Recovery Certification class followed by a proctored exam, NATE residential and light commercial exams, and Duct and Envelope Tightness Verifier training.

One HVAC school program covers all 2 campuses, so this description applies to each. Class times and local detail differ, so confirm with the campus you would attend.

Sources: Alabama HVAC school program, EPA Section 608, NATE.

Gadsden State's A.A.S. in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration runs at its Ayers and East Broad campuses in Anniston, Alabama. The degree takes a minimum of 76 credit hours, at least 61 of them technical and 15 general education. Admission requires a high school diploma or GED. The public college graduates about 30 HVAC students a year, and the program holds PAHRA accreditation.

The course list includes ACR 134 Ice Machines, ACR 130 Computer Assisted HVAC Troubleshooting, Building Automation and Engineering I and II, and a review course for the contractors exam. Students can also earn credit through an HVAC apprenticeship or internship course and a series of co-op courses. The published plan of study does not list cost, schedule, or placement figures.

Sources: Alabama HVAC school program, PAHRA, IPEDS.

An Associate in Applied Science in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology is what Bevill State offers, taught on both the Hamilton and Sumiton campuses and totaling 67 to 68 credits. The core is 39 credits of ACR coursework, moving from principles of refrigeration and piping practices through electrical circuits and components to heat load calculations, residential air conditioning, heat pumps, and commercial refrigeration.

Students round out the technical side with four electives chosen from a list of twelve, and the choices signal different paths: an HVAC apprenticeship or internship course for those who want field time, a review course for the contractors exam, NCCER Core for construction credentialing, and specialty classes in ice machines, commercial air conditioning, propane systems, and troubleshooting.

Because this is a degree rather than a certificate, 15 to 16 credits of general studies are built in: English composition, math at the MTH 116 level or higher, a natural science or math elective, a history or social science elective, and a humanities or fine arts elective, plus a one-credit student survival skills orientation course. The catalog does not list program length in semesters, so plan the schedule with an advisor.

Sources: Alabama HVAC school program, NCCER, IPEDS.

Drake State's heating and air conditioning program in Huntsville leads to an Associate in Applied Science, with a Heating and Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Certificate and a Short Certificate available for those who want a quicker exit. The program carries programmatic accreditation from HVAC Excellence, a third-party review that validates the curriculum against industry standards for entry-level work.

Coursework centers on the principles of heating and cooling air in controlled situations, with electricity and refrigerants taught through problem-solving so students can diagnose malfunctions and service residential, commercial, and industrial systems. The college pitches the credential toward jobs as a service technician, facility maintenance supervisor, lab technician, or eventually an owner of a heating and air business.

On earnings, the college cites Lightcast Economic Modeling's median salary of $48,886 for heating and air conditioning careers, with the usual caveat that location, certifications, and years in the field move that number substantially. Program length, tuition, and specific course requirements are not published on the program page, so build in time to request those details before committing.

Sources: Alabama HVAC school program, HVAC Excellence, IPEDS.

Students at Wallace State in Hanceville can take HVAC and refrigeration classes during the day or in the evening, working toward an Associate in Applied Science, a certificate, or short-term certificates. The college describes its program as among the oldest continually operating HVAC/R training programs in Alabama, covering the mechanical, electrical, and scientific principles common to all HVAC/R systems.

A practical draw is the internship arrangement: Wallace State maintains partnerships with local companies, and students can begin part-time work through the internship schedule after completing the first half of the program. That structure lets a student earn in the trade while finishing coursework, and the program says it prepares graduates to pursue industry certifications alongside technical, craft, and business skills.

Wallace State cites Bureau of Labor Statistics figures: employment of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics is projected to grow 8 percent from 2024 to 2034, with about 40,100 openings a year, and a median annual wage of $59,810 as of May 2024.

Sources: Alabama HVAC school program, BLS OEWS.

Calhoun's Associate of Applied Science with a concentration in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration trains students to install and repair equipment in office buildings, factories, homes, food stores, restaurants, and theaters, with practical work in cutting pipe, maintenance, and load and duct design. The curriculum also reaches into building automation systems and building science alongside residential and commercial construction.

Four short-term certificates offer faster routes: a general Air Conditioning and Refrigeration certificate, ACR Fundamentals, Advanced ACR, and HVAC Building Automation and Engineering. Each consists of three or more courses in a focused area, and the college positions them for people changing careers or updating an existing skill set rather than starting a full degree.

Costs and credit counts are not published on this program page, but Calhoun links regional career and salary research for each credential, covering job titles, salaries, and annual openings in its area. The college adds that employment of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers is projected to grow at a much faster pace than the average for all occupations from 2019 to 2029.

Sources: Alabama HVAC school program.

Three credential levels are on offer at Lawson State's Bessemer campus: a 25-credit short certificate that takes two semesters, a 52-credit certificate, and a 76-credit Associate in Occupational Technologies degree that pairs air conditioning and refrigeration with a minor in industrial electronics. The AOT is built for students who want to graduate as multi-skilled technicians with a primary and a secondary technical specialty.

Classes are capped at 20 students, and instruction takes place on standard equipment used in the industry. The coursework covers how to determine the best system for a particular environment, how to get maximum efficiency out of that system, and how to troubleshoot it, aimed at careers in the design, sales, installation, maintenance, and service of residential and commercial equipment.

For the job market, Lawson State cites a $48,000 median salary in 2022 and 5 percent expected growth nationwide from 2021 to 2031. Related trades at the college include building construction, welding, and a short-certificate plumbing program, options worth a look for anyone comparing mechanical trades, and the college points students toward its application and financial aid resources as the next step.

Sources: Alabama HVAC school program.