ICOHS College is a for-profit institution headquartered in San Diego, CA. It is accredited by ACCSC (Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges). The median federal student debt at graduation is $16,200, according to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Median year-1 post-completion earnings are $33,800. Median year-4 earnings are $44,200. The debt-to-income ratio is 0.48. Estimated monthly payment on a 10-year standard repayment plan at 6.5% interest is $183. The 3-year student loan default rate is 6.5% (national average: ~4.5%). Approximately 12 complaints have been filed in the CFPB database. PlumbSquare's rating: ZONE (proceed with caution). ICOHS is meaningfully different from the other for-profits in this review: single campus, lower costs ($16,000–$19,000), shorter programs (6 months), and a lower default rate. In high-cost San Diego, the HVAC and electrical labor market is tight enough that year-one earnings of $33,800 against $16,200 in debt is a workable ratio. The concern is whether 6-month programs provide enough depth for licensed trade work — California's licensing boards require substantial hours, and ICOHS graduates often need additional supervised experience before qualifying for state exams.
The Verdict.
ICOHS is meaningfully different from the other for-profits in this review: single campus, lower costs ($16,000–$19,000), shorter programs (6 months), and a lower default rate. In high-cost San Diego, the HVAC and electrical labor market is tight enough that year-one earnings of $33,800 against $16,200 in debt is a workable ratio. The concern is whether 6-month programs provide enough depth for licensed trade work — California's licensing boards require substantial hours, and ICOHS graduates often need additional supervised experience before qualifying for state exams.
ACCSC (Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges). ACCSC national accreditor. California BPPE (Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education) also regulates ICOHS as a private postsecondary institution in California.
The Numbers.
| ICOHS | Amount | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Program cost (range) | $17,800 – $19,200 | Tuition + fees + books/tools (est.) |
| Median federal debt | $16,200 | College Scorecard — median at graduation |
| Median earnings — Year 1 | $33,800 | College Scorecard post-completion earnings |
| Median earnings — Year 4 | $44,200 | Scorecard 4-yr post-completion median |
| Estimated monthly payment | $183/mo | 10-yr standard repayment at 6.5% |
| Debt ÷ year-1 earnings | 0.48× | Below 0.5× is manageable. Above 0.8× is a warning sign. |
| 3-year default rate | 6.5% | National avg: ~4.5%. Source: FSA NSLDS CDR database. |
- Total cost
- $6,000
- Debt at completion
- $0–$4K (Pell eligible)
- Accreditation
- Regional
- 3-yr default rate
- <4%
- Total cost
- $0
- Debt at completion
- $0
- Income while learning
- $44,000/yr
- Employer recognition
- Full — nationwide
Sources: College Scorecard (U.S. Dept. of Education), FSA NSLDS Cohort Default Rate database, BLS OEWS May 2024. Community college cost estimate based on national NCES average for vocational certificates at public 2-year institutions. Union apprentice income based on IBEW/UA mid-market Year 1 rates.
Employer Recognition.
San Diego union halls (IBEW Local 569, UA Local 230) do not credit ICOHS training hours. However, ICOHS's short programs can serve as a pre-apprenticeship foundation — some graduates have successfully entered JATC apprenticeships after completing ICOHS.
What the brochure won't say.
- 01Six-month programs are short. California's HVAC and electrical licensing requirements demand significant additional hours of supervised field experience after ICOHS — graduating from ICOHS is not the same as being license-eligible.
- 02San Diego is the second-most-expensive metro in California. Median earnings of $33,800 year one barely covers rent, food, and a $183/month loan payment.
- 03ICOHS is a single-campus school with limited employer relationships outside the San Diego metro — graduates face geographic constraint on job placement.
- 04As a smaller for-profit, ICOHS has limited financial resources compared to national chains. Verify current accreditation and enrollment status before enrolling.
- 05California has more rigorous licensing oversight than most states. Confirm that ICOHS program hours satisfy California Contractor's State License Board (CSLB) and California Electrical Certification requirements before enrolling.
Alternatives.
IBEW (electrical), UA (plumbing/pipefitting/HVAC), SMART (sheet metal), and other union JATCs run DOL-registered apprenticeship programs. You earn $18–$28/hr from day one. You graduate with zero debt and a journeyman card recognized by every employer in the country. They are competitive to get into — apply to multiple locals.
Find your trade →Public community colleges offer the same trade programs for $4,000–$8,000 total — often $0 out-of-pocket with Pell grants and state workforce funding. Regional accreditation means your credits are real. The main downside: waitlists of 6–18 months at popular programs. That wait is worth it.
Search your state's community college system at nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator
Honest caveat on union apprenticeships:They are harder to get into than a for-profit school. Union locals have application windows, waiting lists of their own, and competitive selection processes. Some have political connections. If you don't get in the first time, apply again. The process is worth understanding before you default to a for-profit program because it said “enroll now.”
The Legal Record.
| Metric | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FTC action | None on record | No FTC enforcement actions found as of review date. |
| CFPB complaints | ~12 | Approximate count from CFPB public database. Includes parent company. |
| 3-yr default rate | 6.5% | FSA NSLDS official CDR. National average: ~4.5%. |
Legal data sourced from FTC.gov enforcement database, CFPB Consumer Complaint Database, and state attorney general public records. This is not a complete legal history. Do your own research at ftc.gov and consumerfinance.gov.