Tuition for the California Community College system $46 per unit.

A student will have the option of choosing one out of four certificates of achievement available within the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) program:

  1.  HVAC Technology I - Major #8041 - Certificate of Achievement 

           a.  Courses include:

                i.     HVAC 50   Principles of HVAC                            2.0 units

                ii.    HVAC 51   Electricity for HVAC                          6.5 units

                iii.   HVAC 52   Heating Systems                                6.5 units

                iv.   HVAC 53   Systems Analysis & Regulations    6.5 units

                v.    HVAC 54   Brazing and Motor Technology     6.5 units

        Students will need 28 units of completion for this certificate, or a total of $1,288 in tuition costs.

 Financial Aid, if available to the student, can cover tuition.  Review our Financial Aid website for further information.

There are required textbooks for this program, along with recommended textbooks that are good reference as well as some free "open educational resources" required for some courses.

1.  HVAC Technology I:  $295.73 - $373.00

     a.  HVAC 50, 51, 52, 53, 54:  Requires a 1 year online subscription

i.  $213.74 / $170.00 Cengage Unlimited, Multi-term, ISBN:  9780357700013 (FCC Bookstore / amazon.com)

ii.  $81.99 (digital) / $203.00 Recommended, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Technology, Ninth edition, ISBN: 9780357122273 (FCC Bookstore)

A.  Required Fees:

• Health fee ($21 per semester, $13 if off campus/online per semester)
• Associated Student Body fee ($2 per semester, but opportunity to waive the fee at time of registration if the student so chooses)

     Optional fees:

• Parking pass ($30 per semester)
  • Fall 2022 semester:  Parking is waived
  • Spring 2023 semester:  Parking is waived
• Student ID Card ($5) 

B.  Some courses require additional materials fee for the following courses:

• HVAC 54:  ESCO EPA 608 testing fee:  $30.00

* Testing fees are subject to change without notice

Total Estimated for fees and materials:  $565.76

*Materials can be purchased through other vendors if available. Instructors will review items during the first week of classes and will expect all students to have them ready by the second week of classes.

C. Vendor Recommendations:

Each HVAC certificate requires all students to have their materials prepared and purchased by the second week of classes.  The following vendors are some examples where students may be able to purchase materials.

• Home Depot
• Walmart
• Lowes
• Harbor Freight
• Amazon.com
• FCC Bookstore 

D.  Technology Requirements:

• A Dell Precision laptop (or equivalent) or Desktop (8 GB and 500 GB storage) with Microsoft Windows 10 Operating Systems:
  • Windows 10
  • 16 GB of RAM
  • Mac:  MacOS 10.12 and above, must have Windows 10 or above
  • iOS:  11.0 and above (iPad only) Must have a compatible LMS integration
• Memory:
  • Windows:  75 MB permanent space on the hard drive
  • Mac:  120 MB permanent space on the hard drive
• Additional Equipment:
  • High Speed Internet
  • Wireless USB mouse
  • Webcam
  • Earbuds with microphone 3.5mm stereo plug/jack
  • Picture ready smartphone and be proficient to transfer digital pictures to Canvas
• A cloud-based file storage platform, such as iCloud, Google Drive, DropBox, or similar

Fresno City Library offers the opportunity for students to use the computer lab or to check out a laptop if available.  For additional information and hours of operations.

A student can pay in one or a combination of ways:

• Pay in person:  Fee Payments or Tuition, Business office Holds, Refunds/Fee Reversals, Financial Aid Payments/Repayments, Billing, Parking Permits
• Business Office:  Location OAB 151A (Old Administration Building)
• Pay online (directly using a credit card):  You may pay online in Self-Service or follow the steps about making a payment.
• through a grant (review our Financial Aid website for grant information)
• or with a scholarship or fee waiver through partner programs such as California's Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) which provides employment training resources for adults and dislocated workers.  For more information about how to qualify for ETPL.

The HVAC certificates have the potential for entry-level to advanced skill sets, complimented by study in metal fabrication, computers, communication, and digital control systems.  A potential resource for investigating jobs in the HVAC field is: O*Net Online or Career Coach.

Yes! The HVAC certificate is stackable - the units count - toward an associate degree in HVAC can be used as undergraduate coursework toward the transferring to a 4-year institution of higher education.

Every 4-year college accepts coursework differently, however, if a student would like to complete the associates degree at Fresno City College along with the general education to successfully transfer to a 4-year institution of choice.

The HVAC certificate is a "stackable" certificate meaning that your successful completion of this certificate can be used to apply for additional certificates and/or of two HVAC associate degrees.

The HVAC certificate is a "stackable" certificate meaning that your successful completion of this certificate can be used as valuable training in conjunction with other fabrication-related certificates such as Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM), or Electrical, Industrial Maintenance Mechanics.  When the student applies for a bachelor's degree program, the 4-year institution of higher education would make the decision as to which courses are fully transferable.  Consult with a college counselor to discuss these opportunities.

This HVAC program uses the same registration system as all California Community Colleges. A student must apply through CCCApply, if not already a California Community College student, in order to receive a student identification number. Once you have a student identification number, we can arrange for a counselor appointment to discuss the program and/or assist with registration through Self Service.

For more assistance with applying to Fresno City College, please access one or more of the resources below:

Initial Steps

Information to FCC Apply Now (Admissions & Aid)

Each HVAC certificate is designed to deliver 2-3 courses for a total of 13-15 units, over a period of eighteen weeks for each course.  Typical this can occur over a two-semester period.

The HVAC Technology Certificate will help to prepare you to begin an entry level position in advanced HVAC job opportunities.  With one to two years of work experience, students, often take and pass ESCO, NATE, ARI, and other industry certifications.  Other than EPA 608 Refrigerant Handling Certification, the HVAC program does not target or endorse a specific industry certification.

The HVAC certificate instructor(s) can assist with job placement opportunities.  In the second semester you could choose to take a course, AT-19, for a paid or unpaid work experience to build your resume and begin working in your field of study.