How Much Does HVAC School Cost in Georgia?
At Georgia's public technical colleges, in-state tuition and fees for a full-time year (2024-25) run from $3,007 at Southern Regional Technical College in Moultrie to $4,282 at Augusta Technical College, and most sit between $3,300 and $3,540. Private schools cost more: Interactive College of Technology in Chamblee lists $11,330 a year, Fortis College in Smyrna $15,543, and United Education Institute prices its hybrid diploma at $21,500 for the whole program.
Georgia is one of the cheaper states to learn HVAC, provided you train at a public technical college. Nearly two dozen of them teach air conditioning technology, and their prices sit within about a thousand dollars of each other. The real decision is whether to pay by the year at a technical college or pay a bigger price for a faster, packaged program at a private school.
Every figure below comes from NCES. Unless it’s marked as a whole-program price, it is tuition and fees for a full-time year in 2024-25.
Georgia Technical College Tuition, School by School
Georgia’s public colleges teach a shared curriculum. You’ll see the same award codes (ACT2 for the diploma, ACK1 for the electrical certificate, AZ31 for the technician assistant certificate) at college after college. That’s why prices are so close.
| School | City | In-state tuition and fees | Out-of-state | Books and supplies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Regional Technical College | Moultrie | $3,007 | $5,575 | $1,150 |
| Coastal Pines Technical College | Jesup | $3,268 | $5,836 | $698 |
| Georgia Northwestern Technical College | Rome | $3,300 | $5,868 | $1,500 |
| North Georgia Technical College | Clarkesville | $3,330 | $5,898 | $1,470 |
| Savannah Technical College | Savannah | $3,330 | $5,898 | $1,750 |
| Albany Technical College | Albany | $3,364 | $5,932 | $702 |
| Atlanta Technical College | Atlanta | $3,382 | $5,950 | $2,740 |
| Georgia Piedmont Technical College | Clarkston | $3,386 | $5,954 | $1,470 |
| Athens Technical College | Athens | $3,390 | $5,958 | $900 |
| West Georgia Technical College | LaGrange | $3,410 | $5,978 | $954 |
| Central Georgia Technical College | Macon | $3,448 | $6,016 | $1,800 |
| Gwinnett Technical College | Lawrenceville | $3,524 | $6,092 | $2,938 |
| Chattahoochee Technical College | Marietta | $3,540 | $6,108 | $1,200 |
| Lanier Technical College | Gainesville | $3,980 | $7,190 | $904 |
| South Georgia Technical College | Americus | $3,992 | $7,202 | $500 |
| Columbus Technical College | Columbus | $4,052 | $7,262 | $600 |
| Augusta Technical College | Augusta | $4,282 | $7,492 | $2,000 |
That’s a sample of 17 of the 22 public colleges in the packet. The rest (Oconee Fall Line, Ogeechee, Southeastern, Southern Crescent and Wiregrass) also land between $3,380 and $3,516.
Two things jump out. The most expensive college charges well under one and a half times what the cheapest does. And the books and supplies estimate can swing your first-year bill more than the choice of college. Gwinnett’s $2,938 estimate is several times South Georgia’s $500.
The Lowest-Cost Places to Start
Southern Regional Technical College has the lowest in-state tuition of any Georgia HVAC program at $3,007. Its 54-credit diploma runs four semesters at the Moultrie and Bainbridge campuses, and the program is accredited through HVAC Excellence. It suits someone in southwest Georgia who wants the smallest bill and doesn’t mind a four-semester diploma.
Coastal Pines Technical College charges $3,268 and has one of the lowest book estimates at $698. All five of its HVAC awards run at three campuses: Golden Isles, Jesup and Waycross. If you live on the southeast coast, that means a shorter drive.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College comes in at $3,300, with the diploma at its Floyd County and Walker County campuses. The Rome HVAC schools page shows 9 programs within 60 miles.
What Georgia’s Private HVAC Schools Charge
Georgia’s private HVAC schools move faster and often build certification testing into the program, but they cost far more.
| School | City | Price | Books and supplies | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive College of Technology | Chamblee | $11,330 a year | $2,280 | 54-week diploma; 72-credit degree |
| Fortis College | Smyrna | $15,543 a year | $1,237 | 48 instructional weeks |
| Helms College | Augusta | $17,924 a year | $750 | 44 instructional weeks |
| United Education Institute | Morrow and Stone Mountain | $21,500 whole program | $0 | 36 credit hours, about 9 months |
Fortis College in Smyrna runs its 48-week diploma in a morning or evening section, four days a week, and ends with an EPA certification preparation course. It conferred 75 HVAC awards in 2024-25.
United Education Institute in Morrow and its Stone Mountain campus are the only Georgia programs NCES prices as a whole program: $21,500 with no separate book charge. The diploma is hybrid, with online lecture and residential or online labs, and EPA 608 certification is required to graduate. Morrow conferred 195 HVAC awards in 2024-25 and Stone Mountain 186, a sign of how many students pick this route.
Interactive College of Technology in Chamblee is the least expensive private option at $11,330 a year. Its courses are built around NATE exam preparation, and estimated fees include certification exam vouchers.
Helms College in Augusta, a private nonprofit, charges $17,924 and adds job costing, project management and customer service to its 44-week diploma.
Budgeting for Books, Tools and Supplies
The books and supplies line is where Georgia schools differ most. NCES estimates at HVAC programs range from:
- Lowest: South Georgia Technical College ($500), Columbus Technical College ($600), Coastal Pines ($698) and Albany Technical College ($702).
- Highest: Gwinnett Technical College ($2,938), Atlanta Technical College ($2,740), Interactive College of Technology ($2,280) and Southeastern Technical College in Vidalia ($2,138).
Ask each school what that estimate covers before you budget. The post on what HVAC students spend on books, tools and supplies breaks down the usual items, and the HVAC training cost guide covers the national picture.
How the Credential You Pick Changes the Bill
Because technical colleges charge by the term, the length of the award matters more than which college you choose. Georgia colleges publish these lengths:
- One-semester certificates (12 to 16 credits). Atlanta Technical College lists five, including a 14-credit Natural Gas Technician certificate and a 16-credit Apartment Maintenance Technician certificate.
- Longer certificates (20 to 32 credits). Chattahoochee Technical College lists a 32-credit HVAC Technician Certificate, and Albany Technical College a 29-credit Industrial/Commercial Air certificate.
- The diploma (51 to 54 credits). Most colleges list 51 credit hours over three or four semesters.
- Associate degrees (61 to 70 credits). Gwinnett’s AAS is 65 credits, and North Georgia Technical College’s is 70 credit hours over four terms.
A certificate costs a fraction of the yearly figure, a diploma about one year’s worth or a bit more, and a degree closer to two. See how long HVAC school takes for the tradeoffs, or the post comparing an HVAC certificate with an associate degree.
Which Option Suits You
Price matters, but so does how busy a program is and whether its schedule fits your life.
- You live in metro Atlanta and need night classes. Atlanta Technical College conferred 295 HVAC awards in 2024-25, the most in Georgia, and lists the program on its evening and weekend schedule at $3,382 a year. The Atlanta HVAC schools page shows 12 programs within 60 miles.
- You want the cheapest year and live in the south. Southern Regional in Moultrie or Coastal Pines near Waycross.
- You want a degree. Gwinnett, Georgia Piedmont, North Georgia, Oconee Fall Line, Savannah, South Georgia and Southern Crescent all offer associate degrees. Oconee Fall Line in Dublin reports a 65% graduation rate (Fall 2021 cohort), the highest among Georgia’s public HVAC colleges.
- You already work in the trade. Gwinnett Technical College sets class schedules so students can keep an HVAC job while they study, at $3,524 a year. Demand is high enough that accepted students join a cohort waitlist, so apply early.
- You want commercial refrigeration. Georgia Piedmont Technical College in Clarkston ($3,386) offers a separate Commercial Refrigeration diploma and degree, and cites PAHRA accreditation for its air conditioning program.
- You want to finish fast with EPA 608 built in. United Education Institute or Fortis College, if the higher price works for you.
For evening schedules in detail, read the post on evening HVAC classes in Georgia.
Is It Worth the Money?
HVAC mechanics and installers in Georgia earned a median of $56,390 a year in May 2025, or $27.11 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A full year at even the most expensive technical college costs $4,282 in-state. For most students who finish, that is a short payback.
For pay by metro, from Dalton to Columbus, see how much HVAC technicians make in Georgia. To compare every program side by side, start at the Georgia HVAC schools page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does HVAC School Cost in Georgia for Out-of-State Students?
Out-of-state tuition and fees at Georgia's public technical colleges run from $5,575 a year at Southern Regional Technical College to $7,492 at Augusta Technical College (2024-25). Private schools such as Fortis College and Helms College charge one rate to all students.
Which Georgia HVAC Program Has the Lowest Tuition?
Southern Regional Technical College in Moultrie lists $3,007 in in-state tuition and fees for a full-time year (2024-25). Coastal Pines Technical College ($3,268) and Georgia Northwestern Technical College ($3,300) are next.
How Much Is a Short HVAC Certificate in Georgia?
Many Georgia technical colleges offer 12-credit certificates, such as Air Conditioning Electrical Technician, that take one semester. Because tuition is charged by the year, a one-semester certificate costs less than the full-year figures NCES reports.
Do Georgia Private HVAC Schools Include EPA 608 Testing?
United Education Institute requires EPA Section 608 certification to graduate, and Fortis College and Helms College both say students must take and pass the EPA certification exam. Interactive College of Technology includes certification exam vouchers in its estimated fees.
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