Hawaii Community College

Frequently asked questions

About Hawaii Community College

Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.

Where is Hawaii Community College located?

Hawaii Community College is located in Hilo, HI, in the United States.

What type of institution is Hawaii Community College?

Hawaii Community College is a public community college based in HI. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.

Is Hawaii Community College open admission?

Yes. Hawaii Community College reports an open admission policy to the federal IPEDS survey (IPEDS, admission policy reported in the 2024-25 IC collection), which IPEDS defines as accepting any student who applies. Individual programs, often nursing and other health programs, can still set their own entry requirements, so check the program you want with the college.

What is the tuition at Hawaii Community College?

Hawaii Community College's published in-state tuition is approximately $3,204 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.

How many students attend Hawaii Community College?

Hawaii Community College reports total enrollment of approximately 2,289 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.

How much does Hawaii Community College actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Hawaii Community College is approximately $8,942 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $7,964 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $15,383. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.

What is the graduation rate at Hawaii Community College?

Hawaii Community College reports a graduation rate of approximately 33% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.

How much student debt do graduates of Hawaii Community College have?

Students who borrowed at Hawaii Community College left with a median of approximately $10,500 in federal loans, and about 5% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.

How much do graduates of Hawaii Community College earn?

Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $34,891 for students who received federal financial aid at Hawaii Community College. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.

How should I verify final details about Hawaii Community College?

CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Hawaii Community College.

How much do Liberal Arts and General Studies graduates from Hawaii Community College earn?

Hawaii Community College's associate's graduates in Liberal Arts and General Studies earned a median $44,408 four years after graduating, about the same as the $44,125 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $25,212; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $9,250 in federal loans at this college (about $98 a month on a 10-year plan).

Does Hawaii Community College get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?

No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, Hawaii Community College's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $48,998, above the $36,709 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in Hawaii, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program. It was flagged in the December 2025 release and came off the list when the Department refreshed the data on 22 March 2026, so news coverage from December may still name it.