Economics at Hawaii Pacific University

Hawaii's economics programs tell a challenging story, and Hawaii Pacific's estimated outcomes don't change that narrative. The University of Hawaii at Manoa—the only program in the state with reported data—shows graduates earning just $35,041 their first year out, well below the national median of $51,722. If Hawaii Pacific's outcomes track closer to the national estimate of $51,722, that would represent a significant advantage over the state's flagship university. But that's a big "if" given we're working with national proxies rather than actual graduate outcomes.

The estimated debt load of $24,102 sits slightly above the national median for economics programs, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47—manageable if the earnings projection holds true. However, Hawaii's high cost of living makes even solid-looking numbers trickier to evaluate. A $50,000 salary in Honolulu doesn't stretch as far as it would in most mainland cities, and if actual outcomes skew closer to the state benchmark, you'd be looking at roughly seven months of gross income needed to cover debt—a tighter squeeze.

The fundamental issue is uncertainty. With small graduate cohorts preventing the Department of Education from publishing actual data, you're making a financial decision based on comparable programs elsewhere. Before committing, talk directly with the career services office about specific employer relationships in Hawaii's limited but growing financial sector, and ask for alumni contacts who can speak to their actual job market experience.