Commercial Refrigeration, Heating & Air Conditioning
Institute for Business and Technology · San Jose, CA
- Cost
- $18,700
- Length
- 42 weeks
- Working 6 months later
- 64%
Program names, program descriptions and occupation titles appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Everything else on this page is translated.
What happened to people who took this
- People enrolled
- 911
- Finished the program
- 82%Based on 506 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Working 6 months later
- 64%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $14,950A single quarter of earnings, roughly three months, not a yearly salary. Do not compare it directly with the yearly pay shown for the occupation.Typical California program: $10,900 of 1,339 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
The job this trains for
This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.
Where California publishes a separate figure for San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties), it appears beneath the statewide one. Statewide stays the headline: people who train here do not necessarily work here.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Job ads may call this: Refrigeration Mechanic · Refrigeration Operator · Service Technician (Service Tech) · A/C Tech (Air Conditioning Technician)
Some of what people in this job do. The Department rates how important each one is, and they appear in that order.
- Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment.
- Comply with all applicable standards, policies, or procedures, such as safety procedures or the maintenance of a clean work area.
- Study blueprints, design specifications, or manufacturers' recommendations to ascertain the configuration of heating or cooling equipment components and to ensure the proper installation of components.
- Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions.
Show 4 more things this job involves
- Connect heating or air conditioning equipment to fuel, water, or refrigerant source to form complete circuit.
- Adjust system controls to settings recommended by manufacturer to balance system.
- Recommend, develop, or perform preventive or general maintenance procedures, such as cleaning, power-washing, or vacuuming equipment, oiling parts, or changing filters.
- Inspect and test systems to verify system compliance with plans and specifications or to detect and locate malfunctions.
What this pays in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties) | $58,786 | $84,370 | $140,514 |
| Across California | $48,278 | $74,612 | $112,144 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $74,612per yearSan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: $86,244
- Projected openings
- 37,750San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 2,320
- Projected change
- +12.8%
- Usually needs
- Postsecondary non-degree award
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- More than a year
New hires are trained on the job for more than a year after they start. The classroom part is the beginning of this work, not the whole of it.
These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: High school diploma — 41% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: Postsecondary non-degree award. That is not one of the steps below, so there is no way to count how many people meet it.
- No high school diploma
- 10%
- High school diploma
- 41%
- Started college, no degree
- 29%
- Two-year degree
- 14%
- Four-year degree
- 6%
- Master's degree
- 0.9%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 0.2%
This counts people already doing this job, across the whole United States. Every other figure on this page is California's, and the federal government publishes no state version of this one. It is what people happen to have, not a rule about who gets hired. A small row does not mean you would be turned away, and a large one is not a promise of a job. It is also measured on a different scale from “Usually needs” above, so the two cannot be subtracted from one another.
Program details
This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.
Upon successful completion of this program, the student will have the knowledge and skills needed towards a rewarding entry level career in the Commercial Refrigeration Heating and Air Conditioning field. They will have the confidence to work in this highly technical and ever-changing industry. Through comprehensive training, the student will gain skills needed for entry level residential and commercial. Graduates of this course will explore a variety of entry-level employment opportunities in hospitals, property management facilities, and contracting services. In addition, they will receive training in the proper use and disposal of refrigerants and will subsequently receive EPA certification.
Someone else may be able to pay for this
This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-08-04). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.
The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California
North San Jose America`s Job Center of CaliforniaAffiliate site
Phone: 408-216-6200
1901 Zanker RoadSan Jose, CA 95112about 3.4 miles away
Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm
Has a veterans' representative
San Jose Job CenterComprehensive center
Phone: 408-794-1101
1608 Las Plumas AvenueWork2Future-Silicon Workforce Development BoardSan Jose, CA 95133about 5.7 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8a-5p
NOVAworksComprehensive center
Phone: 408-730-7232
456 W. Olive AvenueSunnyvale City HallSunnyvale, CA 94086about 6.3 miles away
Hours: Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.
Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List
How this gets paid for, and what to ask →
Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.
The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.
How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →