HVAC enrollment at vocational schools jumps 29%

U.S. public two-year colleges with a ‘high vocational’ focus, including HVAC programs, saw another year of double-digit enrollment growth this spring, according to newly released data from the National Student Clearinghouse.

What’s happening: Total enrollment at the schools grew 11.7 percent compared to last spring, to roughly 871,000 students, building on a 17.6 percent increase from 2023 to 2024.  

Zoom in: HVAC-specific programs saw even sharper growth. Over 25,000 students nationwide were enrolled in HVAC programs at the colleges this spring — a 29 percent jump from the same period last year, according to the data. 

• Compared to the spring semester of 2020, HVAC enrollment is up 32 percent. 

Why it matters: The HVAC industry continues to face a skilled labor crunch. Over 40,000 annual job openings for technicians and installers are projected over the next eight years, driven largely by a wave of expected retirements, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The big picture: The enrollment figures reflect a growing shift away from traditional four-year pathways, as Gen Zers, for instance, seek alternative routes to stable, well-paying careers. 

• As the cost of attending traditional universities rises, contributing to the country’s $1.7 trillion of student loan debt, Americans’ interest in the skilled trades is growing. 

What they’re saying: “He’s already thinking, ‘I want to buy my first house by the time I’m 24. I don’t have any debt, I’m off to the races,’” said Lisa Hopkins, referring to her 20-year-old son, who entered the trades after scrapping his college plans during Covid. 

The bottom line: The enrollment trend couldn’t happen at a better time for the trades.  

• The National Student Clearinghouse will release Fall-semester data in January 2026.