Hawaii Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Hawaii Community College charges a net price of $8,942/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $17,884. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,891, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Hawaii Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #12 of 13 Hawaii colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,942/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $17,884 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,891 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,469/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$287,264 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Hawaii Community College's own numbers. Net price $8,942 × 2 years = $17,884 total. Median earnings $34,891 fall $13,469 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $17,884 bill in about 1.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Hawaii Community College students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 30% of the $34,891 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Hawaii Community College students graduate?
33% finish their degree — 67% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $17,884 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $54,194 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Hawaii Community College expensive compared with other Hawaii colleges?
Its $8,942 net price runs $1,385 below the $10,327 median across the 13 Hawaii colleges we profile, and $2,770 less across the full degree.