Rankings / By State (Affordable)
Most Affordable Colleges in Hawaii
- 13
- Schools
- $45,831
- Avg. Earnings
- 40%
- Avg. Graduation
- $12,811
- Avg. Net Price
- $13,649
- Avg. Debt
CollegeRanker Research
What Surprised Us Most
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Graduate earnings span a wide band on this list, from $34,453 at the low end to $59,593 at the top. That 1.7× spread shows how much outcomes vary within a single category.
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Kapiolani Community College offers the strongest payback. Graduates earn a median of $44,599 against $5,202 in annual net price, the best earnings-to-cost ratio in this ranking.
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The most budget-friendly option on this list is Leeward Community College, at $5,137 annually in net price.
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Completion rates separate this field: University of Hawaii at Manoa graduates 63% of its students, well above the 40% list average. Finishing what you start matters as much as where you start.
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Debt-to-earnings ratios favor Honolulu Community College: graduates owe only 0.17× their yearly income, the most manageable debt burden on the list.
Surprising Comparisons
- The top spot belongs to Leeward Community College ($39,899 earnings), not the highest earner, Hawaii Pacific University ($59,593). That is what weighting mobility and value over salary alone produces.
- Price and payoff diverge sharply here. Leeward Community College ($5,137/yr) and Hawaii Pacific University ($29,657/yr) produce graduates earning $39,899 and $59,593 respectively, a far narrower earnings gap than the $24,520 cost difference would suggest.
- On a cost-adjusted basis, Kapiolani Community College outperforms Hawaii Pacific University: similar career earnings at a much lower net price.
The Takeaway
A consistent pattern: the schools that finish at the top get there by delivering strong earnings, manageable debt, and real mobility rather than by charging more or rejecting more applicants. Those outcomes are what define educational value.
What This Means for Students
For students evaluating these schools, begin with Kapiolani Community College and University of Hawaii at Manoa. Look past sticker price: pull each school's net price for your income level, compare it against projected earnings, and let the data guide the decision instead of the brand.
Why this ranking matters
These schools are ranked on outcomes that compound: graduate earnings, upward mobility, debt, and value, all drawn from federal tax records and Scorecard data rather than reputation surveys. The list rewards results over prestige, led by institutions whose graduates earn a median of about $45K ten years after enrollment.
How we measure this — full methodology →How we rank · 4 pillars
Federal-source data only. Build your own weighting →
Data Behind This Page Updated 2026-06-15
Source datasets
Methodology
Schools are scored on the CollegeRanker 4-Pillar Algorithm: Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25–35%), Academic Quality (15–20%), and Value (20–25%). Every weight is published and every figure traces to a public dataset.
See the full methodology and weights →Confidence notes
- Earnings, completion, and debt figures come from federal administrative records — tax data and student-aid filings — not surveys or self-reports, the highest-confidence tier of education data available.
- Social-mobility estimates are drawn from de-identified tax records covering more than 30 million students (Opportunity Insights).
- Where an institution is missing a metric, it is excluded from that metric rather than imputed, so averages are never inflated by guesses.
Limitations
- Federal earnings data primarily cover students who received federal financial aid; outcomes for non-aided students may differ.
- Earnings are measured roughly ten years after enrollment, so they describe how earlier cohorts fared — historical outcomes, not guarantees of future results.
- An institution's field-of-study mix affects raw earnings; scores reflect measured outcomes and are not fully major-adjusted unless explicitly noted.
- Net price is an average; the actual cost a given student pays varies widely by family income.
At a Glance
How the Top Schools Compare
| School | Earnings | Net Price | Graduation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Leeward Community College #1 overall | $39,899 ▼ -13% vs avg | $5,137 | 33% | 81 |
| 2 Kapiolani Community College #2 overall | $44,599 ▼ -3% vs avg | $5,202 | 21% | 81 |
| 3 Honolulu Community College #3 overall | $45,105 ▼ -2% vs avg | $7,458 | 30% | 77 |
| $38,439 ▼ -16% vs avg | $8,169 | 30% | 75 | |
| $52,075 ▲ +14% vs avg | $10,327 | 48% | 75 |
Score uses our 4-pillar methodology. Earnings % is vs. this list's average.
See full ranking →Executive Summary
Most Affordable Colleges in Hawaii
This analysis ranks 13 institutions on graduate earnings, social mobility, completion, and cost. Across the list, alumni earn a median of $45,831 ten years after enrolling, against an average graduation rate of 40% and an average net price of $12,811.
Key takeaways
- Strongest Earnings-to-Cost Ratio: Kapiolani Community College — Net Price: $5,202 | Graduation Rate: 21%
- Strongest Completion Outcomes: University of Hawaii at Manoa — 63% completion rate
- Highest Earnings Generator: Hawaii Pacific University — Median alumni earnings: $59,593
Our Analysis Found
The most expensive quartile of colleges costs 373% more than the most affordable — but their graduates earn just 34% more.
Affordability & ROI Analysis
What does this ranking tell us about getting a real return on a degree?
$45,105
Median earnings (10yr)
37%
Median graduation rate
$10,327
Median net price
3.2%
Avg. mobility rate
Value rankings exist to show where students get the most for their money. The answer is rarely the cheapest school or the one with the highest earnings. It is the intersection of low cost and strong outcomes, which is what our methodology is built to surface. The schools at the top of this list show that affordability and results can coexist.
Start with the medians across these 13 schools. Graduates earn a median of $45,105 ten years after enrollment. The median graduation rate is 37%, and the typical net price (what students pay after grants) runs $10,327 a year with about $10,500 in federal debt. Pell grants reach 25% of students on average, and the average mobility rate, the share of students lifted from the bottom income quintile to the top, is 3.2%.
The schools that win on value are the ones where net price and earnings form the tightest ratio. Median net price runs $10,327 and graduates earn a median of $45,105. That ratio, not prestige or selectivity, is the truest measure of what a degree is worth.
The podium
Build your ranking
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Tip: Check the box on any 2–4 schools below to compare them side by side.
Full rankings
Why it ranks #1
Leeward Community College lands at #1 with a 81/100 composite, led by value per dollar (88/100) and pulled down by social mobility (45/100). Graduates earn a median $39,899 a decade after enrolling, 13% below this list's average, and net price runs $5,137 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #2
Kapiolani Community College lands at #2 with a 81/100 composite, led by value per dollar (88/100) and pulled down by social mobility (50/100). Graduates earn a median $44,599 a decade after enrolling, 3% below this list's average, and net price runs $5,202 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #3
Honolulu Community College lands at #3 with a 77/100 composite, led by value per dollar (85/100) and pulled down by social mobility (49/100). Graduates earn a median $45,105 a decade after enrolling, 2% below this list's average, and net price runs $7,458 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #4
Windward Community College lands at #4 with a 75/100 composite, led by value per dollar (84/100) and pulled down by social mobility (51/100). Graduates earn a median $38,439 a decade after enrolling, 16% below this list's average, and net price runs $8,169 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #5
University of Hawaii-West Oahu lands at #5 with a 75/100 composite, led by value per dollar (76/100) and pulled down by social mobility (55/100). Graduates earn a median $52,075 a decade after enrolling, 14% above this list's average, and net price runs $10,327 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #6
Hawaii Community College lands at #6 with a 74/100 composite, led by value per dollar (81/100) and pulled down by social mobility (43/100). Graduates earn a median $34,891 a decade after enrolling, 24% below this list's average, and net price runs $8,942 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #7
University of Hawaii Maui College lands at #7 with a 73/100 composite, led by value per dollar (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (48/100). Graduates earn a median $34,453 a decade after enrolling, 25% below this list's average, and net price runs $8,061 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #8
University of Hawaii at Hilo lands at #8 with a 72/100 composite, led by value per dollar (70/100) and pulled down by social mobility (58/100). Graduates earn a median $47,856 a decade after enrolling, 4% above this list's average, and net price runs $11,856 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #9
Kauai Community College lands at #9 with a 71/100 composite, led by value per dollar (79/100) and pulled down by social mobility (48/100). Graduates earn a median $36,868 a decade after enrolling, 20% below this list's average, and net price runs $10,436 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #10
University of Hawaii at Manoa lands at #10 with a 65/100 composite, led by academic quality (77/100) and pulled down by social mobility (56/100). Graduates earn a median $57,624 a decade after enrolling, 26% above this list's average, and net price runs $15,664 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #11
Brigham Young University-Hawaii lands at #11 with a 63/100 composite, led by value per dollar (74/100) and pulled down by social mobility (53/100). Graduates earn a median $52,064 a decade after enrolling, 14% above this list's average, and net price runs $16,774 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #12
Chaminade University of Honolulu lands at #12 with a 41/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (39/100). Graduates earn a median $52,343 a decade after enrolling, 14% above this list's average, and net price runs $28,856 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #13
Hawaii Pacific University lands at #13 with a 39/100 composite, led by social mobility (80/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (46/100). Graduates earn a median $59,593 a decade after enrolling, 30% above this list's average, and net price runs $29,657 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Cut it by what you care about
The same 13 schools, re-ranked by the outcome that matters to you.
Where the programs are
Finding an affordable college in Hawaii can be a challenge, but several schools stand out for their low net prices. These institutions provide pathways to a college education without overwhelming debt. On average, students from these schools graduate with significantly less debt than the national average, making them appealing options for families looking to keep costs down.
What sets these colleges apart is not just their affordability but also their outcomes. The schools on this list have varying graduation rates and earning potentials, reflecting their different approaches to education and student support. When weighing options, consider the average earnings of graduates — which sit around $45,831 — alongside completion rates that hover around 40%. This data helps illustrate the value these schools provide beyond just the price tag.
For example, Leeward Community College offers a low net price of $5,137, but its graduation rate is only 33%. In contrast, the University of Hawaii-West Oahu has a higher net price at $10,327 but boasts a graduation rate of 48%. This means that while Leeward is cheaper upfront, the potential for completing a degree and increasing earnings could be higher at the University of Hawaii-West Oahu. These factors are crucial to consider as we dive deeper into the rankings below.
The story behind the ranking
A ranking gives you an order; these charts give you the shape. They show how this group of schools spreads across the four things that decide whether a degree pays off — what graduates earn, whether they finish, how far they move up, and what it costs. Look for the standouts, the outliers, and the trade-offs the list alone can't show.
Earnings Outcomes
What graduates earn 10 years after enrolling. Data from College Scorecard.
Distribution of Median Earnings
Earnings vs. Net Price
Top-left = best value. Top-ranked schools are highlighted.
Completion & Access
Graduation rates and who gets in. Data from College Scorecard & IPEDS.
Graduation Rates
Pell Grant Rate vs. Graduation Rate
Right = more low-income students. Higher = more graduate.
Cost & Debt
What families actually pay and what students owe. Data from College Scorecard.
Median Debt at Graduation
When we compare Leeward Community College and Honolulu Community College, we see a clear divergence in performance metrics. Leeward has a net price of $5,137 but graduates only 33% of its students. In contrast, Honolulu Community College has a higher net price of $7,458 but a graduation rate of 30%. The difference in net price might make Leeward more attractive initially, yet the slight edge in graduation rate at Honolulu suggests a more supportive environment for completing a degree.
As you evaluate these options, think about what matters most to you and your family. Weigh factors such as location, program offerings, and campus culture against net price and debt levels. For instance, if you prioritize a lower debt load, Leeward Community College could be a better choice. However, if completing a degree on time is crucial, considering schools with higher graduation rates may be worthwhile, even if they come with a slightly higher price tag.
Ultimately, the data presents a clear picture of the financial landscape of college in Hawaii. With the average earnings for graduates sitting at $45,831, choosing the right school can significantly impact financial stability after graduation. Each family's situation is unique, and the decision should align with your long-term goals. A well-informed choice today can set the stage for a secure future for your family.
Data Sources
U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard
Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card
Social Capital Atlas
Times Higher Education World Rankings
NCES IPEDS
Frequently Asked Questions
Most Affordable Colleges in Hawaii: Your Questions, Answered
What is the #1 school in the Most Affordable Colleges in Hawaii ranking? +
Leeward Community College in Pearl City, HI ranks #1 in our 2026 Most Affordable Colleges in Hawaii ranking. It earns the top spot on the strength of a median $39,899 in graduate earnings ten years after enrollment and a 33% graduation rate. Our score is built entirely from federal data on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt, and social mobility. Reputation surveys play no part.
Which school has the highest graduate earnings? +
Hawaii Pacific University posts the highest median earnings on this list: $59,593 ten years after enrollment, well above the $45,831 average across the 13 ranked schools with earnings data. Earnings that outpace cost are what separate a degree that pays off from one that does not.
Which school offers the best value? +
On a pure return-on-cost basis, Kapiolani Community College leads: graduates earn a median $44,599 against net price of about $5,202 a year, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio in the ranking. Applicants should weigh that payback against sticker price rather than prestige.
Which school has the highest graduation rate? +
University of Hawaii at Manoa has the highest graduation rate in this ranking at 63%, compared with a 40% average across the list. Completion matters because the students who finish are the ones who actually capture the earnings and mobility gains a degree promises.
How much does it cost to attend these schools? +
The average net price, meaning what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, is about $12,811 a year across the 13 ranked schools with cost data. Leeward Community College is among the most affordable at roughly $5,137. Net price is a far better guide to affordability than the published sticker price.
How is the Most Affordable Colleges in Hawaii ranking calculated? +
We score every school on a four-pillar algorithm: economic outcomes (graduate earnings and debt), social mobility (Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, built on more than 30 million anonymized tax records), academic quality (graduation and retention), and value (net price and loan burden). Social mobility carries the heaviest weight, so schools that lift low-income students into higher earnings rank above those that simply admit wealthy students. Every input comes from federal data, and schools that withhold their numbers are scored lower for it.
How many schools are ranked and where does the data come from? +
This ranking evaluates 13 institutions using the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, the Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card and Social Capital Atlas, Times Higher Education, and NCES IPEDS. There are no opinion surveys or paid placements. The order is determined by the data alone and refreshed as new federal figures are released.
Sources & Citations
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