Public · Hilo, Hawaii

University of Hawaii at Hilo

University of Hawaii at Hilo is a public institution in Hilo, Hawaii. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.

$11,856
Avg net price / yr
$47,856
10-yr median earnings
45.0%
150%-time completion
60.6%
Acceptance rate

The verdict

University of Hawaii at Hilo pairs above-median former-student earnings with a moderately open admit.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 33%
former-student earnings, US
60.6%
acceptance rate
45.0%
150%-time completion
+29%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
Town: Remote Carnegie: Doctoral/Prof
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this University of Hawaii at Hilo profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral/Professional Universities"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

C-
College Value Score
53/100
University of Hawaii at Hilo

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings C+
$47,856
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price B
$11,856
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate F
45.0%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$20,500
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment B+
75.1%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention D
72.8%
First-year students returning for year two
University of Hawaii at Hilo vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$47,856

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$11,856

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

45.0%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 45.0%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - University of Hawaii at Hilo vs peers

University of Hawaii at Hilo positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 7 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. University of Hawaii at Hilo positioned by e… Carnegie Classification: Doctoral/Prof Doctoral/P… COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $29K $55K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $4K $12K Avg Net Price ($) University of Hawaii at Hilo (you are here): $48K earn · $12K net · 45% grad You are here - University of Hawa… Honolulu Community College: $45K earn · $7K net · 30% grad Honolulu Community… University of Hawaii-West Oahu: $52K earn · $10K net · 48% grad University of Hawa… University of Hawaii Maui College: $34K earn · $8K net · 28% grad University of Hawa… Hawaii Community College: $35K earn · $9K net · 32% grad Hawaii Community C… Windward Community College: $38K earn · $8K net · 30% grad Windward Community… Leeward Community College: $40K earn · $5K net · 33% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How University of Hawaii at Hilo ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

University of Hawaii at Hilo: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$47,856 Top 33% higher than 67% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric University of Hawaii at Hilo National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $47,856 #1676 of 5103 67th
Average net price $11,856 #1469 of 5020 71st (lower is better)
150%-time completion 45.0% #3314 of 4858 32nd
Undergraduate enrollment 2,160 #1401 of 5462 74th

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

2,160
Undergraduate enrollment
60.6%
Acceptance rate
1,028
SAT average
45.0%
150%-time completion
$47,856
10-yr median earnings
72.8%
First-year retention

How University of Hawaii at Hilo ranks in Hawaii

State rank among 16 reporting Hawaii colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric University of Hawaii at Hilo State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $47,856 #6 of 16 63rd
Average net price $11,856 #10 of 18 44th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 45.0% #11 of 19 42nd
Undergraduate enrollment 2,160 #7 of 19 63rd

Highest former-student earnings in Hawaii

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1Hawaii Pacific University$59,593$29,657
2University of Hawaii at Manoa$57,624$15,664
3Chaminade University of Honolulu$52,343$28,856
4University of Hawaii-West Oahu$52,075$10,327
5Brigham Young University-Hawaii$52,064$16,774
6University of Hawaii at HiloThis school$47,856$11,856
7Honolulu Community College$45,105$7,458
8Kapiolani Community College$44,599$5,202
9Pacific Rim Christian University$40,523$23,151
10Leeward Community College$39,899$5,137
11Hawaii Medical College$38,880$30,107
12Windward Community College$38,439$8,169

Admissions

Admission Rate 60.6%
SAT Average 1,028
SAT Math (25th-75th) 455 – 565
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 490 – 610
ACT Average 19
ACT (25th-75th) 15 – 22
0%100%60.6%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at University of Hawaii at Hilo

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at University of Hawaii at Hilo - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $7,838
Out-of-State Tuition $20,798
Average Net Price $11,856
40.4%
Pell Grant Rate
30.0%
Federal Loan Rate
$20,500
Median Debt
$217/mo
Monthly Payment

Net price at University of Hawaii at Hilo swings rather than trends

Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $9,749 to $15,125 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as +23.7%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.

Lowest year
$9,749
Highest year
$15,125
Most recent (2023)
$12,063
Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $9,7492014: $10,2422015: $11,0292016: $11,9122017: $13,6152018: $15,1252019: $13,8852020: $13,5032021: $13,2592022: $13,4442023: $12,063
2013 · $9,7492023 · $12,063

Over the same years, enrollment went -32.2% (3,335 → 2,260 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

68.9%
Female
36.6%
First Generation

Outcomes

72.8%
Retention Rate
$37,204
Median Earnings (6yr)
56.0%
Earning Over $25K
75.1%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 45.0%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 72.8%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $37,204
Median earnings 10 years after entry $47,856
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 56.0%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 75.1%
Median federal student debt At completion $20,500
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $217/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 19 572 $58,434 $131,134 $20,256
Master's 4 60 $58,562 $59,655 $31,380
First Professional 1 76 $131,918 $131,918 $218,140
Certificate 1 0 - - -
Doctoral 1 0 - - -

Top programs at University of Hawaii at Hilo by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration First Professional 76 $131,918 $218,140
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration Bachelor's 69 $131,134 -
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 57 $111,027 $18,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Master's 21 $59,655 $26,760
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Master's 22 $57,469 $36,000
Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's 89 $54,330 $17,000
Biology, General Bachelor's 30 $54,200 $22,000
Psychology, General Bachelor's 62 $51,061 $18,751
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Bachelor's 50 $48,783 $21,841
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Bachelor's 15 $47,534 -
Agriculture, General Bachelor's 23 $44,096 $21,500
Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's 47 $41,750 $20,505
Sociology Bachelor's 14 $39,582 $21,662
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology Bachelor's 30 $39,528 $20,115
Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's 19 $38,185 -

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at University of Hawaii at Hilo?
University of Hawaii at Hilo is a public institution in Hilo, Hawaii. The acceptance rate is 60.6%. The average SAT score is 1,028. Undergraduate enrollment is 2,160 students.
How much do University of Hawaii at Hilo former students earn?
Federally aided former students at University of Hawaii at Hilo who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $47,856 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $37,204.
How much does University of Hawaii at Hilo cost?
The average net price at University of Hawaii at Hilo is $11,856. In-state tuition is $7,838 and out-of-state tuition is $20,798. Median student debt at graduation is $20,500.
What is the graduation rate at University of Hawaii at Hilo?
University of Hawaii at Hilo has a 45.0% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 72.8%.
Is University of Hawaii at Hilo worth the student debt?
The median student debt at University of Hawaii at Hilo is $20,500, while former students earn a median of $47,856 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 43% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 75.1% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $217.

Sources & methodology

Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.

Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from University of Hawaii at Hilo

Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.