The Refrigeration School

What The Refrigeration School does

The Refrigeration School, Inc. (RSI) is a private, ACCSC-accredited vocational trade school founded in 1965 and headquartered at 4210 East Washington Street in Phoenix, Arizona, operating as a subsidiary of StrataTech Education Group. RSI delivers hands-on training in three skilled-trades verticals — HVAC/R, welding, and electrical — across five core programs ranging from 7 to 15 months: Refrigeration Technologies, Electrical Technologies, Welding Specialist, Electro-Mechanical Technologies, and an Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) in Mechanical Maintenance Engineering. Instruction is built on a hybrid model pairing online theory with on-campus lab work using industry-standard equipment and proprietary trainers (E-STAR for electrical troubleshooting, M-STAR for mechanical troubleshooting), augmented by Interplay Learning virtual-reality simulations deployed via Meta Quest 2 headsets that students receive as part of their gear package. The school has placed more than 12,000 graduates into employer-network jobs across 40–44 states and serves a segmented student base that includes recent high-school graduates, career changers, military veterans and active-duty personnel (priced at 90% of standard tuition), out-of-state relocators, and adults without a high-school diploma, the latter supported through partnerships with Smart Schools and Grad Solutions. RSI earns revenue almost entirely from tuition and fees (program total cost $23,525–$42,300), supplemented by financial-aid administration (Pell Grants, federal loans, GI Bill/MyCAA disbursements under federal school code 014127), $1.2M in annual scholarship funding, and an enrollment-driven lead-conversion pipeline supported by a 5,300-employer Career Services network. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through phone, virtual tour, and remote admissions; leadership is CEO Mary Kelly, supported by a VA certifying official and Director of Student Services for the military channel.

Name

The Refrigeration School

Legal name

The Refrigeration School, Inc.

Website

https://rsi.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Refrigeration School (RSI) is a Phoenix-based, ACCSC-accredited private vocational trade school founded in 1965 and operated under StrataTech Education Group. It trains individuals in HVAC/R, electrical, welding, electro-mechanical, and mechanical maintenance trades through 7–15 month hands-on programs with VR-augmented hybrid instruction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from tuition charges for vocational training programs ranging from 7-15 months. Tuition varies by program with standard pricing and military pricing options. Additional fees include course materials, lab fees, gear packages, accident insurance, technology fees, and registration fees.
2. Military Tuition Pricing: Reduced tuition pricing (90% of standard tuition) for eligible military members including active duty, reserves, National Guard, veterans, spouses, dependents, and military retirees. Active duty military exempt from registration fee.
3. Financial Aid Administration: Administer federal grants (Pell Grant), student loans, scholarships, and payment plans for students. School code 014127 for FAFSA.
4. GI Bill and VA Benefits: Accepts GI Bill and MyCAA programs for eligible veterans, active duty, and dependents to fund vocational training.
5. Scholarship Disbursement: RSI offers institutional scholarships and facilitates external scholarships from organizations including Home Depot Foundation, Metal Supermarkets, AHRI Rees Scholarship, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Refrigeration School (RSI) is a private vocational trade school delivering hands-on training programs in HVAC/R (Refrigeration Technologies), Electro-Mechanical Technologies, Welding, Electrical Technologies, and an Associate of Occupational Studies in Mechanical Maintenance Engineering. Programs range from 7 to 15 months and combine on-campus lab instruction with hybrid online theory and supplemental virtual reality simulation (Interplay Learning on Meta Quest 2). The school sells tuition-based training directly to individual students and supports them with career placement services through a network of more than 5,300 employer partners across 44 states.

Product overview

The Refrigeration School (RSI) is a technical trade school offering five vocational training programs: Refrigeration Technologies (HVAC/R), Electro-Mechanical Technologies, Associate of Occupational Studies in Mechanical Maintenance Engineering, Welding Specialist, and Electrical Technologies. Programs range from 7 to 15 months and include supplementary training tools such as the Interplay Learning VR simulator (accessed via Meta Quest 2), and proprietary E-STAR/M-STAR troubleshooting systems. The school provides career services including their Career Connect platform for alumni job placement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Refrigeration Technologies (HVAC/R) Training Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates obtain employment in 44 states with network of over 5,300 employer relationships
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• StrataTech Education GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of The Refrigeration School (RSI). StrataTech Education Group operates multiple vocational training schools and provides shared services including technology platforms (Canvas LMS), privacy policy, and corporate governance. RSI website and operations are powered by Stratatech Education Group.
• Over 5,300 Employer PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRSI has partnerships with major employers across the United States. Career Services team supports graduates with job placement assistance including resume preparation, interview coaching, and employer networking. On-campus employer recruitment events and weld testing available.
• Collegiate Housing Services (CHS)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStudent housing partner providing furnished shared housing apartments within 10 miles of campus. Individual lease arrangements with rent, furniture, utilities, and roommate coordination included. Most apartments house four students in two-bedroom, two-bathroom layouts.
• EDUrentminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStudent housing assistance partner helping RSI students find housing solutions. Services include apartment listings, roommate matching, and financial assistance programs for housing costs.
• University of PhoenixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArticulation agreement allowing RSI AOS degree graduates to transfer credits to University of Phoenix. Enables graduates to seamlessly continue education at UOP campuses nationwide and internationally.
• Interplay LearningcoreTechnology or IntegrationVirtual reality training provider supplying RSI's VR simulation platform for HVAC/R and electrical training. Students receive Meta Quest 2 headsets with Interplay Learning software for remote troubleshooting practice.
• Smart SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnline high school diploma program partner for students needing to complete secondary education before enrolling in RSI vocational programs. Fully accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering flexible, affordable diploma completion.
• Grad SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-funded program partnership for Arizona residents ages 16-21 providing no-cost high school diploma completion through Grad Solutions program before RSI enrollment.
• BankMobileminorOthersThird-party refund disbursement service for delivering financial aid refunds to students. Technology solution powered by BMTX, Inc. for managing student refund payments.
• Home Depot Foundation Path to ProminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Home Depot's Path to Pro program supporting skilled trades workforce development. RSI highlighted in Home Depot community outreach initiatives.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lincoln Educational Services: Operates Lincoln Tech, a multi-campus for-profit career college with HVAC, electrical, and welding programs that directly compete with RSI for similar student demographics and employer relationships.
• Universal Technical Institute: Large publicly traded provider of trade education including HVAC/R, welding, and electrical programs across multiple US campuses; competes in the same skilled trades training category as RSI.
• Tulsa Welding School: Specialized welding and industrial trade school under the same broader for-profit education ecosystem, directly comparable to RSI's Welding Specialist program and similar hands-on delivery model.
• Porter and Chester Institute: Multi-campus trade school offering HVAC, electrical, and welding programs with similar tuition structure, accelerated timelines, and career services focus to RSI.
• Fortis College and Institute: For-profit trade school network offering HVAC, electrical, and welding programs with comparable 7-12 month program lengths and federal financial aid dependency.
• New England Institute of Technology: Private technical college offering associate and certificate programs in HVAC/R, electrical, and welding technologies with hands-on lab-based instruction similar to RSI's model.
• Arizona Automotive Institute: Sibling institution under StrataTech Education Group offering skilled trades programs in Arizona; directly comparable operation, customer segments, and parent-company economics to RSI.
• WyoTech: Trade school focused on welding, automotive, and mechanical programs with hands-on training delivery and similar accelerated program structure as RSI's welding offering.
• ECPI University: For-profit career college with hands-on technical programs including electronics and mechanical technologies, sharing RSI's career-focused, accelerated-format approach.

Others

• Penn Foster: Online-based vocational and trade education provider; not a direct campus competitor but competes for price-sensitive skilled trades students seeking alternative training pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rsiaz
• Facebookfacebook.com/therefrigerationschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Refrigeration School