Kapiolani Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Kapiolani Community College charges a net price of $5,202/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $10,404. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,599, 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, Kapiolani Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #8 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) | $5,202/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $10,404 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,599 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,761/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,229 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$85,624 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Kapiolani Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,202 × 2 years = $10,404 total. Median earnings $44,599 fall $3,761 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 $10,404 bill in about 1.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Kapiolani Community College students graduate with?
A median $9,229 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $44,599 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Kapiolani Community College students graduate?
22% finish their degree — 78% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $10,404 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $47,291 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Kapiolani Community College expensive compared with other Hawaii colleges?
Its $5,202 net price runs $5,125 below the $10,327 median across the 13 Hawaii colleges we profile, and $10,250 less across the full degree.