Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Hawaii Community College

Hawaii Community College's nursing program sits in an unusual position: it beats national earnings benchmarks but lags significantly behind other Hawaii nursing programs. At $69,990 one year out, graduates earn slightly above the national median but fall well below Hawaii's state median of $86,190—landing in just the 25th percentile among the state's four nursing programs. University of Hawaii Maui College's nursing graduates, by comparison, earn $102,390, nearly 50% more. Given that most students will work locally after graduation, this earnings gap within Hawaii matters more than the favorable national comparison.

The debt picture offers some consolation. At $17,174, graduates carry manageable loans with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.25, meaning they could theoretically pay off their debt with less than three months' salary. That's reasonable for healthcare training. Earnings do grow to $82,608 by year four, suggesting career progression exists, though graduates still trail their in-state peers throughout this period.

The critical caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so individual circumstances heavily influence these numbers. For families weighing options within Hawaii's nursing programs, understand that this represents the more affordable pathway with decent but not exceptional earning potential. If maximizing income is the priority and other programs are accessible, the earnings difference across Hawaii's nursing schools is substantial enough to warrant serious consideration.