College ROI

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University of Hawaii-West Oahu

Kapolei, HI 2,519 Undergrads 51.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,410
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,327
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,969
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,327
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$53,969
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$52,075
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate51.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age27.7
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time59.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
95.3%
SAT Avg
985
SAT Reading
25th: 47357575th: 575
SAT Math
25th: 45852075th: 528
ACT Composite
25th: 151975th: 21

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$487k
+$20k
+$2k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$449k
-$17k
-$35k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$420k
-$47k
-$64k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
61
∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-94%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-97%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-67%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-59%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Homeland Security
CertCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,309
Natl Median: $62,995
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Insurance
CertCIP: 5217
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,539
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,227
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,648
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
$15,164
Earnings (4yr)
$50,343
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Median Debt
$12,981
Earnings (4yr)
$69,931
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Median Debt
$13,687
Earnings (4yr)
$53,891
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
$15,610
Earnings (4yr)
$41,536
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k

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.