Accredited HVAC Schools in Irving, TX
Accreditation is a process by which an independent agency evaluates the quality of a school. Both the curriculum and the instructors are evaluated to assure students that they receive the education they expect from the institution. When choosing a school, it is essential to determine if it is accredited and which organization granted accreditation.
Two main industry organizations evaluate and accredit HVAC programs. HVAC Excellence has awarded accreditation to Laredo College in Laredo, TX and the Lincoln College of Technology in Grand Prairie. The Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Accreditation (PAHRA) has accredited Vernon College, in Wichita Falls. Vernon College is included in the profiles below due to its accreditation, although attending would require Irving students to commute.
Dallas College
Dallas college offers HVAC programs at two campuses: Cedar Valley; and Eastfield.
The Cedar Valley campus program focuses on residential HVAC with the following:
- Residential – Technician I certificate – 24 credits
- Residential – Technician III Level II certificate – 48 credits
- Residential HVAC degree – 60 credits
The technician I certificate curriculum includes basic electricity, air conditioning controls, HVAC/R principles, gas and electric heating, and heat pumps. The technician III certificate includes the same coursework, with the addition of air conditioning installation and startup, troubleshooting, systems design, and electives in communications and math.
Students in the degree program will complete the technical curriculum of the certificate programs, as well as special topics in HVAC mechanic repair or HVAC cooperative education. They also have additional general education electives in humanities, psychology, and others.
The Eastfield campus programs expand to commercial as well as residential. Students may complete the same certificate and degree programs as offered at Cedar Valley, or they may enroll in the HVAC/R degree program at Eastfield. The Eastfield technical program is the same, with the addition of commercial HVAC/R coursework.
Students also complete an HVAC/R practicum or HVAC/R cooperative education experience. They complete 60 credits of technical coursework and general education coursework to earn their degree.
- Location: Lancaster, TX; Mesquite, TX
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Expected Time to Completion: Technician I certificate (two semesters); technician III certificate (three semesters); AAS (four semesters)
- Estimated Tuition: Technician I certificate ($1,896); technician III certificate ($3,792); AAS ($4,740)
Lincoln College of Technology
Lincoln Tech offers an HVAC technology diploma through both day and evening programs. The program prepares students to install, maintain, and repair essential HVAC/R equipment. Students are introduced to Green Technology concepts as they apply to HVAC systems. They are prepared to confidently enter this vibrant HVAC/R field. They also learn proper refrigerant recovery and recycling techniques and are encouraged to complete the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certification testing.
Coursework is divided between classroom lectures and hands-on training in a lab. Comprising 44.5 credits, the curriculum includes the following coursework: an introduction to climate control, electricity, HVAC/R systems, HVAC design and layout, commercial refrigeration design and controls, energy efficiency, and green technology. Graduates are qualified for employment in entry-level positions.
- Location: Grand Prairie, TX
- Accreditation: HVAC Excellence; Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
- Expected Time to Completion: 47 weeks
- Estimated Tuition: $23,220
Lindsey-Cooper Refrigeration School
Lindsey-Cooper offers several HVAC/R programs during the daytime and evenings. Students can choose to attend full-time or part-time. They may also choose English or Spanish language classes. The coursework is presented in classroom lectures followed by hands-on practice in the lab.
Participants can expect to learn subjects such as HVAC/R principles, HVAC/R components and controls, electricity, HVAC/R accessories, how to read wiring diagrams, soldering, tools and diagnostic instruments, and troubleshooting.
Students may also take an additional course designed to prepare them for the EPA Section 608 exam.
- Location: Irving, TX
- Accreditation: Licensed by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to 12 weeks, depending on the program chosen
- Estimated Tuition: Contact the program coordinator for a customized assessment
Remington College
Remington College offers an AAS degree program in HVAC and an HVAC diploma program. Providing students with practical training in HVAC equipment, these programs help them develop the skills and expertise needed for successfully maintaining and troubleshooting today’s complex HVAC/R systems. Graduates of these programs are prepared for entry-level employment in the HVAC industry.
The diploma consists of 59 credits, while the AAS degree is made up of 95 credits. All courses earned in the diploma can be counted towards the AAS degree program.
The coursework is divided equally between classroom lectures and hands-on training in fully-equipped labs. The curriculum includes career development, introductory HVAC/R, HVAC maintenance, automated controls, motors, residential systems, commercial HVAC/R, domestic appliances, heat pumps and hydronic heating, and ducting and airflow. Graduates are qualified to seek entry-level positions as residential, commercial, or industrial HVAC technicians.
- Location: Fort Worth, TX
- Accreditation: Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Diploma (12 months); AAS (24 months)
- Estimated Tuition: Diploma ($22,987); AAS ($30,892)
Tarrant County College
TCC offers seven HVAC/R technology programs:
- EPA recovery certification preparation and exam, non-credit industry education
- Occupational skill award as an HVAC installer, 11 credits
- HVAC residential technician I, Level 1 certificate, 23 credits
- HVAC residential technician II, Level 1 certificate, 20 credits
- HVAC commercial technician, Level 2 certificate, 51 credits
- HVAC/R technology, residential, AAS degree, 60 credits
- HVAC/R technology, commercial, AAS degree, 60 credits
The EPA course takes one day to complete. Students prepare for the exam, then spend the last two hours of the class taking the exam on computers. The cost is $125.
The HVAC installer occupational skills coursework includes technical calculations, the principles of refrigeration, and air conditioning installation and startup. The residential technician I certificate program adds basic and advanced electricity, mathematics, and residential air conditioning. The residential Technician II certificate program continues the curriculum with air conditioning controls, gas, and electric heating, heat pumps, systems design, and troubleshooting.
The commercial technician level 2 program builds on the coursework of the previous programs with the addition of the following: duct fabrication, commercial systems design, advanced controls, and commercial HVAC. Students complete a capstone course on commercial refrigeration, industrial air conditioning, or heat pumps to earn their certificate.
Students enrolled in the degree programs complete all the technical curriculum of the certificate programs, as well as a selection of general education courses that include communication, public speaking, federal or state government, and composition. They finish with a capstone course in air conditioning troubleshooting.
- Location: Fort Worth, TX
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Expected Time to Completion: Certificate (one to two years); AAS degrees (two years)
- Estimated Tuition: Resident of Tarrant County ($64 per credit); resident of any other Texas county ($126 per credit); resident of another state ($305 per credit)
Tech Zone HVAC/R
TechZone offers HVAC/R training with classroom lectures on theory followed by hands-on practice in the lab. Classes are available during the daytime, evenings, and Saturdays. Students may attend full or part-time.
Coursework includes tools of the trade, basic HVAC/R cycles, electricity, heat pumps, wiring diagrams, gas and electric heating, and refrigerants. Graduates are prepared to take the EPA Section 608 exam.
- Location: Irving, TX
- Accreditation: Licensed by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Full-time (two weeks); part-time (ten weeks)
- Estimated Tuition: Not disclosed on the website
Vernon College
Vernon College offers an HVAC occupational skills award program, an HVAC level I certificate program, and an HVAC associate in applied science (AAS) degree. Students learn through a combination of classroom lectures and hands-on training in the lab.
The award program includes instruction in basic electricity, the principles of air conditioning controls, and the principles of refrigeration. The program requires 12 credits to complete.
The curriculum for the certificate program continues with residential and commercial air conditioning, refrigeration, gas and electric heating, heat pumps, troubleshooting, and a technology/technician practicum. Students complete 36 credits to earn their certificate.
The degree program incorporates the above coursework, with the addition of general education required classes and electives that include composition, the federal government, mathematics, and public speaking, among others. Students complete 60 credis to earn their degrees.
- Location: Wichita Falls, TX
- Accreditation: PAHRA; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Expected Time to Completion: Certificate (nine months); AAS degree (two years)
- Estimated Tuition: Wilbarger County residents ($100 per credit); Texas residents ($145 per credit)