Frisco, TX HVAC Training Schools

Frisco, Texas began as a water stop for the St. Louis-San Francisco railway. As the settlement grew, the city fathers named it after the railway. It’s now part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and is consistently described as one of the country’s fastest-growing cities. As approximately only 75 percent of the available land is developed, Frisco has plenty of room for continued population and commercial growth. Although it serves as a bedroom community for DFW, it also relies on its own strong economy.

A growing number of new businesses keeps the economy diverse. The biggest employers provide management, professional, scientific, and technical services. Finance, healthcare, insurance, and personal services also contribute significantly to the thriving economy. Technology companies, including data centers, are expanding their presence in the city. T-Mobile USA and Oracle, as well as Ikea, all have facilities in Frisco. Tourism continues to grow, leading to an increase in venues catering to visitors. Several sports teams, including the Dallas Cowboys, have their headquarters in Frisco.

Frisco’s climate is classified as humid subtropical. Summers are hot and muggy, followed by cool and breezy winters. June through August are the hottest months, with temperatures consistently in the high 90s F, spiking into the 100s on occasion. Nighttimes are only about 20 degrees cooler. September is still hot, with temperatures in the 80s, but residents start getting relief from the heat in October and November. By December, the daytime highs hover in the upper 50s and low 60s until April, when it starts heating up to the 70s and 80s. Rain falls every month, for an annual total of about 40 inches. Snowfall is rare. The humidity rarely drops below 60 percent and is highest in April, averaging 72 percent. The city is located within Tornado Alley, and it has installed tornado sirens to prevent fatalities.

Frisco’s weather, especially the humidity, makes climate control essential for residents. They rely on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) to keep them comfortable in their homes and workplaces. Educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and sports complexes often add refrigeration (HVAC/R) to their systems. The hospitality and entertainment venues also require refrigeration for the comfort of visitors. The expanding electronics and technology industries often need specialized climate-control installations to keep their equipment operating correctly.

Current Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2025, the latest data available) data indicates that 10,910 HVAC and HVAC/R technicians were employed in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metropolitan area. National, state, and local industry associations providing resources and support to the technicians and their employers include:

Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
Greater Fort Worth Builders Association (GFWBA)
Mechanical Contractors Association of Texas (MCATexas)
National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association North Texas (PHCCA)
Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES)
Regional Black Contractors Association (RBCA)
Southwest Pipe Trades Association Local 146 – Fort Worth (SWPTA)
Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Association (TACCA)
TEXO, The Construction Association

These organizations cooperate with others in the industry, regulatory agencies, and businesses to establish and maintain educational, licensing, and performance standards for the safety of technicians, the public, and the environment.

Occupational Demand for HVAC and HVAC/R Technicians in Frisco, TX

According to the BLS (2026), the national demand for trained HVAC and HVAC/R technicians is expected to increase by 8 percent between 2024 and 2034. That’s an additional 34,500 positions. Projections Central (2026) anticipates much greater growth in HVAC opportunities within Texas, forecasting a 13 percent increase in openings statewide between 2024 and 2034.

The construction of new commercial and residential buildings stimulates the growth of the HVAC industry. The renovation and remodeling of existing structures also contribute significantly to industry growth. Aging equipment and systems must be repaired, replaced, or updated to meet changing requirements. On occasion, climate control systems in newer structures must be replaced as evolving regulations, technological advances, and the demands of new industries make them obsolete. Additionally, the contemporary emphasis on energy efficiency and pollution reduction is a substantial factor driving industry growth.

Homeowners and businesses now expect smart buildings that incorporate sophisticated climate control systems. Working with those systems requires HVAC technicians who are skilled troubleshooters, proficient with computers, and understand electronics and high-tech. Their training and expertise provide the best job opportunities.

Technicians specializing in new construction may occasionally experience unemployment if construction declines. That doesn’t seem likely in Frisco in the foreseeable future due to the dramatic growth the city continues to experience. Its stable economy is based on sustainable levels of prosperity as well as offering residents abundant job opportunities in a modern community.

Technicians who specialize in maintaining, servicing, and repairing equipment and systems can expect continuous employment regardless of the economy, as businesses and homeowners rely on year-round climate control.

HVAC and HVAC/R Salaries in Frisco, TX

The BLS (May 2025, the latest data available) shows HVAC mechanics and installers nationally as receiving a median salary of $61,010. BLS (May 2025) data also shows technicians in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area, which includes Frisco, earned an annual median salary of $59,560. The wage difference is more significant than it might appear, as the cost of living in Texas is lower than in other American states.

As per the BLS (May 2025), the earnings of national, state, and regional HVAC professionals are as follows—the latest data available as of September 2026:

	United States	Texas	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Number of HVAC professionals employed	409,670	34,730	10,910
Average annual salary	$64,780	$59,130	$61,760
10th percentile	$40,050	$38,100	$40,290
25th percentile	$48,360	$46,800	$47,860
50th percentile	$61,010	$57,760	$59,560
75th percentile	$77,060	$69,860	$74,270
90th percentile	$95,210	$81,860	$84,880

HVAC Apprenticeships in Frisco, TX

Aspiring Texas technicians traditionally accepted employment as helpers and learned their skills through on-the-job training. As few such opportunities exist today for untrained workers, most attend classes or participate in an apprenticeship program. Formal training gives workers better job opportunities and enables them to potentially start at higher wages and earn more throughout their careers.

Time invested in classes varies according to the level of expertise sought. Apprenticeships include specified hours of on-the-job training, usually 2,000 hours, and classroom work, usually 144 hours, annually for three to five years.

Workers can begin with the instructions for becoming a registered apprentice as outlined by the Texas Workforce Commission. The process includes finding an employer willing to train them. The employer should register with the Commission if they have not already done so. The Commission may grant funding to registered programs, classroom instruction, and apprentices.

Apprenticeship.gov maintains a database of apprenticeships nationwide, including HVAC apprenticeships in or near Frisco. UA Local 100 JATC offers a five-year HVAC/R apprenticeship in the area. Apprentices receive on-the-job training from a union contractor and attend classes two nights a week.

Workers seeking HVAC and HVAC/R apprenticeship programs can find several available through national industry associations such as:

Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)
Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA)
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC)
Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES)
Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA)

Each organization has details of programs and fees on its website.

Accredited HVAC and HVAC/R Schools in Frisco, TX

Students choosing to attend a school should select an accredited institution. When a school is accredited, an independent agency evaluates the program’s quality, including the curriculum and instructors. HVAC Excellence and the Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Accreditation (PAHRA) accredit HVAC programs.

HVAC Excellence has accredited Laredo College, Laredo; Lincoln College of Technology, Grand Prairie; and Lone Star College, Houston. PAHRA has accredited Vernon College, Wichita Falls. Laredo College, Vernon College, and Lone Star College are not included in the profiles below as they would require a lengthy commute for Frisco students. Other reputable agencies have accredited the remaining schools.

Collin College

The college offers HVAC students four levels of training:

Certificate level 1: HVAC entry certification – 12 credits, 16 weeks
Certificate level 1: HVAC residential servicing certification – 31 credits, 32 weeks
Certificate level 2: HVAC commercial servicing certification – 45 credits, 48 weeks
Degree: HVAC – 60 credits, two years

Coursework for all levels is divided between classroom lectures and hands-on practice in the lab.

Students seeking entry-level certification learn basic electricity, refrigeration principles, and residential air conditioning. They also prepare for EPA 608 certification. Students enrolled in the residential servicing program complete the entry-level coursework, as well as advanced electricity, air conditioning installation and startup, and heat pumps, and residential systems design. They complete a capstone course in residential air conditioning systems design.

The commercial servicing certification program curriculum includes all of the above coursework, with the addition of the following: commercial HVAC/R, advanced HVAC controls, gas and electrical heating, and business and professional communication. They will also complete a capstone project in industrial air conditioning. Degree-seeking students add general education coursework in economics, composition, math, and humanities to the coursework in the other programs. They will also complete a capstone course in testing, adjusting, and balancing HVAC systems.

Location: The HVAC programs are currently available only at the Collin College Technical Campus in Allen, TX
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Program length: As described above

Dallas College Eastfield Campus and North Lake Campus

Dallas College encompasses several campuses, of which Eastfield and North Lake are the closest to Frisco. Students may choose from the following options:

Heating and air conditioning occupational skills award: 11 credit hours
Rising HVAC technician certificate: 18 credit hours
Rising HVAC technician occupational skills award: 11 credit hours
Technician level I certificate in air conditioning: 25 credit hours
Technician level II certificate in air conditioning: 51 credit hours
Air conditioning and refrigeration technology degree: 60 credit hours

The coursework for the heating and air conditioning occupational skills award includes residential air conditioning, gas and electric heating, and heat pumps. The rising HVAC technician certificate includes coursework in shop practices and tools, basic electricity, refrigeration principles, residential air conditioning, HVAC cooperative education, and construction site safety and health. The rising HVAC technician skills award includes only shop practices and tools, basic electricity, and refrigeration principles.

Students in the technician level 1 certificate complete all of the above coursework and select an elective such as business principles. Those in the technician level II certificate program complete all of the above, and add air conditioning installation and startup, air conditioning troubleshooting, commercial air conditioning, and a practicum or field experience. They also complete several general education classes, and choose two electives, one of which must be a math course.

The technical curriculum for students seeking the commercial HVAC/R technology degree includes the above coursework and adds commercial refrigeration or industrial air conditioning, commercial air conditioning, air conditioning troubleshooting, energy management, and advanced controls. Their general education requirements and elective choices include composition, mathematics, humanities/fine arts, speech communication, and general psychology.

Location: Eastfield Campus, Mesquite, TX; North Lake Campus, Irving, TX
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Program length: Certificates, 12 to 18 months; degree, two years

South Texas Vocational Technical Institute, formerly Edge Tech Academy

Edge Tech was acquired by South Texas Vocational Institute (STVT) in 2023. STVT has continued offering the HVAC diploma program, although on a hybrid basis. Students learn via classroom instruction and hands-on training. The curriculum includes system design fundamentals, heating systems, air conditioning systems, refrigeration systems, and EPA 609 guidelines and the Clean Air Act. The program features rolling start dates. Students complete a total of 50 credits to earn their diploma.

Location: Arlington, TX
Accreditation: Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
Program length: 10 months

Lincoln College of Technology

Lincoln Tech offers a hybrid HVAC/R technology diploma program. The coursework is available during the day, afternoons, and evenings. It requires 44.5 credits to complete. Graduates are qualified to seek entry-level employment as HVAC/R technicians.

The curriculum includes an introduction to climate control systems, electricity, basic HVAC/R systems, air conditioning design and layout, commercial refrigeration controls and design, warm air heating, and energy efficiency and green technology systems. Graduates are qualified to sit for the EPA Section 608 exam.

The Grand Prairie campus is also home to “the country’s only TechX advanced training facility in partnership with Hussmann,” a leader in commercial refrigeration. Hussmann’s partnership with Lincoln Tech provides students with an opportunity to apply for Hussmann-sponsored advanced training.

Location: Grand Prairie, TX
Accreditation: Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges; HVAC Excellence
Program length: 52 weeks

Lindsey-Cooper Refrigeration School

Lindsey-Cooper offers its HVAC/R training full-time and part-time. Part-time students may choose to attend either in the evenings or on Saturdays. They may also choose between classes in English or Spanish. The full-time program is taught only in daytime classes and is available only in English.

The coursework for all programs is divided between classroom lectures and hands-on training in the lab. Class sizes are limited to 15 students. The curriculum includes heating, refrigeration cycles, service tools and instruments, compressors, condensers, evaporators, metering devices, refrigerants, chilled water systems, motors, soldering, and electricity. Students may take an optional program for an additional fee to prepare for the EPA Section exam.

Location: Irving, TX
Accreditation: Certificate of Approval, Texas Workforce Commission
Program length: Part-time 12 weeks; full-time two weeks

UEI College (UEI – Dallas)

UEI offers an HVAC technician training program at its Dallas campus. Coursework is presented in a hybrid format, divided between classroom lectures and hands-on training in a fully equipped lab.

The curriculum includes basic electricity, motors, and HVAC controls, refrigeration theory and application, HVAC troubleshooting, heat pump systems, heating systems, duct design, reading blueprints, load calculation, commercial refrigeration systems, specialized commercial refrigeration, regulations, building automation, and electrical and mechanical troubleshooting. Students are prepared to take the EPA Section 608 exam and the R-410A certification exam. Graduates are qualified to seek employment as HVAC/R technicians.

Location: Dallas, TX
Accreditation: Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
Program length: Ten months

Frisco students who cannot attend one of the above schools may find that online institutions can better meet their needs. More information on accredited programs is available at online HVAC training.

HVAC and HVAC/R Certification and Licensing in Frisco, TX

HVAC and HVAC/R technicians who handle refrigerants must obtain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Section 608 certification. Four certification levels are available based on the type and size of equipment on which a technician works. Certification requires technicians to pass a specific exam on refrigerant safety:

Type I – for servicing small appliances
Type II – for servicing or disposing of high-pressure appliances, except small appliances and automotive air conditioning
Type III – for servicing or disposing of low-pressure appliances
Universal – for servicing all types of equipment

Details of the criteria for each certification are available on the EPA website.

Technicians may obtain their Section 608 certification, as well as other certifications that can increase their employability, from industry organizations such as the following:

HVAC Excellence
North American Technician Excellence (NATE)
Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES)

Each organization includes availability, scheduling, and fees on its website. There is also more information on the HVAC certifications page.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) requires HVAC technicians to register. Technicians must work under a licensed HVAC contractor and may not advertise their services. Applicants must complete a form and pay a fee. The registration must be renewed annually. Renewal requires a completed application and payment of fee.

Technicians may voluntarily choose to register as certified technicians. Applicants must submit:

Proof of at least 24 months of experience under a licensed HVAC contractor, or
Proof of 2,000 hours of an approved certification training program
A completed application
A non-refundable fee

Once the documents are approved, applicants must pass a licensing exam and pay relevant fees. Licenses are valid for one year. Renewal requires a completed application and fee.

To qualify, HVAC contractors must:

Have 48 months of practical experience under a licensed HVAC contractor within the past 72 months; or
Held a technician certification license for the past 12 months and have at least 36 months and practical experience under a licensed HVAC contractor within the past 48 months
Submit a completed application
Pay fee
Pass an exam
Meet the minimum requirement for insurance coverage

Two classes of licenses are available: Class A permits contractors to work on any size project; or Class B, which limits projects to cooling systems of 25 tons and under and heating systems of 1.5 million BTUs/hour and under. Endorsements for environmental air conditioning, commercial refrigeration, and process heating or cooling may be added.

Licenses must be renewed annually. Renewal requires eight hours of continuing education, an application, and paying a fee.

The City of Frisco requires HVAC contractors to register prior to doing any work in the city. Registration requires submitting proof of insurance, a copy of the state license, and paying a fee.

As licensing regulations are always subject to change, HVAC professionals are encouraged to confirm that they comply with current guidelines before starting a project.

Sandra Smith

Sandra Smith was introduced to the HVAC industry when she worked as a bookkeeper and secretary for a small air-conditioning contractor. She eventually became a CPA and started her own practice specializing in small business taxes and accounting. After retiring from business, she began writing articles for newspapers, magazines, and websites. She also authored four books. Sandra makes her home in the mountains with a rescue dog that naps on her lap as she writes.