University of Hawaii-West Oahu
Kapolei, Hawaii · Public · 95.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 67/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Hawaii-West Oahu scores 67 (Fair Value) on the CampusROI scale. The institution offers low in-state tuition of $7,584 and a $10,327 net price, which drives a favorable debt-to-earnings ratio (0.379). However, a 49.6% completion rate is the central problem: half of enrolled students do not earn a degree. The 10.6-year payback period and $38,300 average 6-year earnings are modest. UH West Oahu is a young, open-access commuter campus serving Oahu's Kapolei and Ewa Plain communities - many students are working adults returning to finish degrees, which both explains the completion challenge and frames the mission differently from traditional residential colleges. Public Administration is the volume program (115 graduates, $42,481 year one, $53,891 at four years). Business Administration (219 graduates) earns $38,495 year one and $56,227 at four years. Students who complete a degree here - particularly in public administration or business - gain a credential with value in state and county government employment.
University of Hawaii-West Oahu
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,584/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $20,544/yr |
| Average net price | $10,327/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $41,308 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $52,075 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $14,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $154 |
| Estimated payback period | 10.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 49.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,519 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $7,584/year ($20,544/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $10,327/year, or roughly $41,308 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $7,674/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $17,718/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $14,500, which works out to about $154 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($38,300) and comes to 0.38, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $7,674 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,077 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $10,247 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $13,155 |
| $110,001+ | $17,718 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $7,674 per year at UH West Oahu - an extremely low net price. Over four years that is roughly $30,700. For low-income students who complete a degree in business or public administration, the cost-to-earnings ratio is defensible. The 49.6% completion rate remains the primary risk factor; incomplete degrees produce debt without a credential.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $10,247 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $13,155 per year. Middle-income families pay slightly more but still benefit from a low net price. The modest step-up in price for middle-income families is not burdensome relative to outcomes for completers. The value case is strongest here for students who commit to finishing.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $17,718 per year - roughly $71,000 over four years. At a 10.6-year payback and $38,300 average earnings, the full-pay case is marginal.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at University of Hawaii-West Oahu with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $56,227 | C+ |
| Public Administration | $53,891 | C+ |
| Social Sciences, General | $41,536 | C |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $69,931 | B |
| Education, General | $54,648 | C+ |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $50,343 | C |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies (74 graduates) is UH West Oahu's strongest ROI program: $49,464 year one, $69,931 at four years, B-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.360, median debt $17,820). The four-year trajectory to $69,931 is solid for a public regional school. This program likely captures students who have assembled credentials aligned with state government, social services, or management roles - and the outcomes suggest those pathways are working.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the largest program by volume (219 graduates) with $38,495 year one and $56,227 at four years - C+-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.461, median debt $17,750). The low median debt reflects UH West Oahu's low net price. Year-one earnings are modest but the four-year trajectory is reasonable for Hawaii's business sector. Graduates entering private sector roles in real estate, hospitality, and small business management are the likely destination.
Public Administration
Public Administration (115 graduates) earns $42,481 year one and $53,891 at four years - C+-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.494, median debt $21,000). UH West Oahu's public administration program is a direct pipeline to Hawaii state and county government employment. Given Hawaii's public sector size and the campus's geographic alignment with Oahu's west side government centers, this program serves a real labor market need, even if earnings are capped by government pay scales.
Social Sciences, General
Social Sciences (106 graduates) earns $34,388 year one and $41,536 at four years - C-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.578, median debt $19,889). Outcomes are modest in absolute terms but the low net price keeps the debt load manageable. Students in social sciences who combine this credential with government service, nonprofit work, or graduate study in social work or public policy can build viable careers, but the terminal bachelor's outcome alone is limited.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 64.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 71.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 62.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 67.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Hawaii-West Oahu’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 95.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 458-528 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 473-575 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 15-21 |
| Enrollment | 2,519 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 32.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,565 |
At 95.3%, UH West Oahu is fully accessible. The ACT 15-21 range and low SAT medians indicate no meaningful selectivity threshold. The primary challenge is not admission but persistence: the completion rate of 49.6% means that academic and non-academic support, not admissions screening, determines who earns a degree. Students who can commit to consistent enrollment and have a support structure for balancing work, family, and academics have a clear path to a low-cost public degree.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hawaii-West Oahu (this school) | 67 | $10,327 | $52,075 |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | 72 | $15,664 | $57,624 |
| University of Arkansas Grantham | 69 | $8,370 | $63,496 |
| University of Houston-Victoria | 67 | $8,109 | $54,467 |
| Colorado State University Pueblo | 64 | $10,051 | $55,563 |
| University of Hawaii at Hilo | 47 | $11,856 | $47,856 |
Who Thrives Here
UH West Oahu admits 95.3% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 458-528 Math and 473-575 Reading; ACT composite 15-21 - reflecting the broad open-access mission. Enrollment of 2,519 is relatively small. Pell grant rate of 32.1% reflects significant financial need. The student population is disproportionately Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Filipino - groups who benefit from local affordable access to higher education. The commuter-campus model means students are often balancing employment and family responsibilities alongside coursework, which contributes to the 49.6% completion rate but is not a reflection of academic failure alone.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
University of Hawaii-West Oahu is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $10,327 a year after aid ($41,308 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $52,075 a decade out, the cost takes about 10.6 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: its 49.5% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 71.5% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $14,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $38,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of Hawaii-West Oahu: Common Questions
Is University of Hawaii-West Oahu worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether University of Hawaii-West Oahu is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 67/100 on our ROI scale. At $10,327 a year after aid ($41,308 over four years) against $52,075 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 10.6 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does University of Hawaii-West Oahu cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $10,327 a year, or roughly $41,308 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do University of Hawaii-West Oahu graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $52,075 ten years after enrolling, roughly $10,275 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off University of Hawaii-West Oahu?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 10.6 years for University of Hawaii-West Oahu. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Hawaii-West Oahu graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $14,500, against average earnings of $38,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at University of Hawaii-West Oahu?
The six-year graduation rate is 49.5%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.