Honolulu Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Honolulu Community College charges a net price of $7,458/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $14,916. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,105, 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, Honolulu Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #7 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) | $7,458/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $14,916 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,105 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,255/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,534 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$80,016 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Honolulu Community College's own numbers. Net price $7,458 × 2 years = $14,916 total. Median earnings $45,105 fall $3,255 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 $14,916 bill in about 1.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Honolulu Community College students graduate with?
A median $7,534 in federal loans among completers, or 17% of the $45,105 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Honolulu Community College students graduate?
25% finish their degree — 75% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $14,916 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $59,664 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Honolulu Community College expensive compared with other Hawaii colleges?
Its $7,458 net price runs $2,869 below the $10,327 median across the 13 Hawaii colleges we profile, and $5,738 less across the full degree.