Hawaii Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Hilo, Hawaii. It enrolls 1,546 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
57/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes25
Value54
Affordability46
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Hawaii Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Hawaii Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $8,942 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$8,942
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
29%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
5%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$3,204
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,340
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,586
Room & Board (off-campus)
$22,502
Books & Supplies
$1,360
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,596
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,462
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,702
Application fee: $25 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$7,964
$30,001 – $48,000
$6,745
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,929
$75,001 – $110,000
$11,917
Over $110,000
$15,383
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,03725%percentile
$10,500Medianpercentile
$11,03475%percentile
$20,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $6,500
↓ $4,000
No Pell $5,375
↓ $5,125
Dependent students $5,000
↓ $5,500
Independent students $9,249
↓ $1,251
Female students $6,148
↓ $4,352
Male students $6,039
↓ $4,461
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,467, less than completers ($10,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
28% of full-time students who enrolled at Hawaii Community College graduate within six years, and 59% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
28%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
59%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Hawaii Community College earn a median of $34,891 ten years after first enrolling. That's below the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$34,891
Earning > $25K
58%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$29,800
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$31,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
24.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 70% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Hawaii Community College is home to 1,546 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 48% are first-generation college students, 53% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
1,546
Part-Time
53%
First-Generation
48%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Other 47.2%729
Hispanic 19.7%305
White 14.9%231
Asian 14.6%225
International 1.8%27
Black 0.9%14
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Hawaii Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: RemoteHilo, Hawaii
Housing
Limited on-campus housing47 beds
Adult Learners
34%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Hawaii Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
36 distinct programs across
16 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Hawaii Community College is 14:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$10,213
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$84,765
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
63 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
10
16%
$106,678
Associate Professors
16
25%
$94,335
Assistant Professors
23
37%
$77,636
Instructors
14
22%
$69,890
Pros & Cons of Hawaii Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Hawaii Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Below-average post-graduation earnings
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Hawaii Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hawaii Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Hawaii Community College.
Is Hawaii Community College hard to get into?
Hawaii Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Hawaii Community College?
Hawaii Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Hawaii Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Hawaii Community College is $8,942 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Hawaii Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $34,891 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $8,942 per year. That's roughly 3.9x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Hawaii Community College known for?
Hawaii Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Fire Protection. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Hawaii Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Hawaii Community College are $34,891, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Hawaii Community College accredited?
Yes. Hawaii Community College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Hawaii Community College?
Hawaii Community College enrolls 1,546 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Hawaii Community College?
Hawaii Community College graduates 28% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Hawaii Community College a public or private college?
Hawaii Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Hawaii Community College located?
Hawaii Community College is located in Hilo, Hawaii.
What programs does Hawaii Community College offer?
Hawaii Community College offers 36 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Fire Protection.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Hawaii Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Hawaii Community College is 14:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Hawaii
Other colleges in Hawaii share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Liberal Arts
Ethnic Studies
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
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