HVAC/R Technology is a Certificate Of Completion program offered by CDE Career Institute in Paterson, NJ. Tuition is $14,500 total.
Program Overview
The HVAC/R Technology program at CDE Career Institute is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration technicians. The program provides comprehensive hands-on training combined with theoretical instruction covering residential and light commercial HVAC/R systems.
This 900-clock-hour program trains students in the installation, maintenance, diagnosis, and repair of heating, cooling, refrigeration, and air distribution systems. Students develop proficiency in electrical fundamentals as applied to HVAC/R, refrigeration cycle theory and application, gas and oil heating systems, air conditioning systems, heat pump technology, indoor air quality, building controls, and commercial refrigeration.
The program is intended for adult learners seeking to enter the HVAC/R trade. No prior HVAC/R experience is required. Upon completion, graduates will be prepared to sit for the EPA Section 608 Universal Certification examination and to pursue employment as HVAC/R service technicians, installation technicians, or maintenance technicians in residential and light commercial settings.
What sets this Program apart
Flexible. CDE Career Institute provides monthly start dates and flexible day or evening classes.
Personal. CDE offers personalized guidance and support from experienced instructors.
Lifetime placement assistance. CDE Career Institute offers graduates lifetime placement assistance. For students enrolled in any program, placement assistance begins with skill and interest evaluation at enrollment. CDE Career Institute cannot guarantee employment to any student.
Admission Requirements and Process
For admission into the program, an applicant must be a high school graduate or possess a GED. No prior experience is required. The HVAC/R application states: High school diploma, GED or HiSET; 18 or older at enrollment. Applicants acknowledge that the program requires lifting up to 50 lbs, climbing ladders and working in confined spaces.
General Requirements
- High school diploma, GED or HiSETYou must hold a high school diploma, GED or HiSET.
- Minimum age of 18You must be 18 or older at enrollment.
- Physical requirementsYou must understand that this program requires lifting up to 50 lbs, climbing ladders and working in confined spaces.
- Personal interviewAll applicants are required to complete a personal interview with Admissions staff in order to mutually determine what educational offering best meets the needs of the applicant.
Application Process
- 1Complete the admissions interviewContact the school to schedule an appointment to meet with Admissions staff and visit the school; call Admissions at (973) 658-4901.
- 2Submit your applicationComplete the school’s online Student Application.
- 3Sign the Enrollment AgreementDuring the admission procedure, the Admissions staff and the student complete the Enrollment Agreement and plan the schedule required for the chosen program.
- 4Set up tuition through Financial Aid or a payment planMeet with the Financial Aid Office to arrange payment of tuition, including a payment plan.
- 5Attend orientation and start classesAttend orientation and begin classes on the start date in your Enrollment Agreement.
Program Schedule
900 clock hours, delivered in person. No specific upcoming start dates are published.
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
Cost of attendance. TUITION: $14,500. APPLICATION FEE: $100. BOOKS / Textbooks: $1,200. Tool / Supply Kit: $500. EPA Section 608 Certification Exam Fee: $150. TOTAL PROGRAM COST: $16,450. Required textbook: Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Technology, 10th Edition (Cengage Learning, ISBN-13: 978-0-357-93399-2).
Payment plans. This program is not eligible for federal financial aid (FAFSA). CDE offers convenient, in-house payment plans with 0% interest, allowing students to spread their tuition payments over 12 monthly installments.
Financial Aid Office. (973) 658-4901 (Branch Campus).
Curriculum
Students must earn a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 to graduate from the program. While attendance is not calculated into individual course grades or the overall GPA, students must be scheduled for a minimum of 90% of the program’s total clock hours through scheduled attendance or make-up sessions, achieve a minimum attendance rate of at least 67%, and receive a final grade for all courses in order to graduate from the program. There will be no charge for make-up sessions.
Required Courses
| Name |
|---|
Career Outcomes
Graduates of the HVAC/R Technology program are trained for entry-level positions such as HVAC/R service technician, installer, maintenance technician and refrigeration technician with residential and commercial HVAC/R contractors, property management and facilities maintenance companies, and equipment service providers. CDE Career Institute provides job placement assistance but cannot guarantee employment or salary. The HVAC/R Technology program is new and has not yet produced graduates, so completion and placement statistics are not yet available. Completing this program does not automatically grant EPA Section 608 certification or a New Jersey HVACR license.
Campus Address
Why Accreditation Is Important
CDE Career Institute is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE). Licensed by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
Student Demographics
These are demographics for all students at the Paterson Branch Campus (IPEDS, 2024).
Percentages are of total fall enrollment. 14 students whose race or ethnicity was not reported are included in that total but shown as no category, so the figures above come to 95.5% rather than 100%.