Leeward Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Leeward Community College charges a net price of $5,137/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $10,274. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,899, 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, Leeward Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #9 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) | $5,137/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $10,274 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,899 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,461/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,970 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$179,494 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Leeward Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,137 × 2 years = $10,274 total. Median earnings $39,899 fall $8,461 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 $10,274 bill in about 1.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Leeward Community College students graduate with?
A median $8,970 in federal loans among completers, or 22% of the $39,899 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Leeward Community College students graduate?
35% finish their degree — 65% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $10,274 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $29,354 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Leeward Community College expensive compared with other Hawaii colleges?
Its $5,137 net price runs $5,190 below the $10,327 median across the 13 Hawaii colleges we profile, and $10,380 less across the full degree.