College ROI

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University of Hawaii at Hilo

Hilo, HI 2,160 Undergrads 44.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$21,689
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,599
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,604
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,599
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$57,604
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$51,003
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate44.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age24.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS62.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
60.6%
SAT Avg
1,028
SAT Reading
25th: 49056575th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 45554075th: 565
ACT Composite
25th: 151975th: 22

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$510k
+$40k
+$23k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$471k
+$1k
-$15k
Full Cost$22k/yr
+$432k
-$39k
-$55k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
45
∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
Never
-39%
Full Cost$22k/yr
Never
-70%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-26%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-54%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,006
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
CertCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,845
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
CertCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,742
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $29,202
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,315
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,104
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,448
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,906
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
CertCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,646
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
CertCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,314
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,096
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
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Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,692
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
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Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,333
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,200
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
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Median Debt
$17,900
Earnings (4yr)
$54,330
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,125
Earnings (4yr)
$41,750
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
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Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
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Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$38,185
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
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Median Debt
$20,900
Earnings (4yr)
$39,528
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,019
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$322k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,534
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
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Natural Sciences
BachCIP: 3018
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,935
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$131,134
Natl Median: $116,539
Lifetime Value Added
+$558k
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Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$16,478
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$356k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,061
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
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Median Debt
$17,619
Earnings (4yr)
$111,027
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$406k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,582
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,306
Earnings (4yr)
$48,783
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,384
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
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Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,163
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,496
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,469
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,655
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,692
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
$163,731
Earnings (4yr)
$131,918
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$292k
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Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.