Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges - Olney Central College
IL · Certificate Degree · CIP 47.02
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration degree from Illinois Eastern Community Colleges - Olney Central College earn a median salary of $53,343 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $58,108. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.7 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$39,884
Typical Career
$53,343
Top Performers
$88,826
Estimated break-even: 10.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$356
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,445. Most students can comfortably afford about a $356 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Illinois buys what costs $0.92 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Retail Trade.
Where Certificate Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$58,108
Nominal: $53,343 in Illinois (COL 91.8% of national avg) · 8.9% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $34,656 | $43,647 | $70,584 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $39,884 | $53,343 | $88,826 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $34,840 | $59,848 | $105,332 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $53,343 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IL, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.8% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $53,343 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180)
= $58,108 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with participation rates of 72.5%, 54.7%, and 49.5% over various time frames. This concentration suggests a strong demand for HVACR professionals in these sectors, which may offer job stability and growth opportunities. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 10.7 years compared to a high school-only path, the program presents a favorable return on investment for students pursuing this career path.
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See how the Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration degree at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges - Olney Central College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.