Family and Consumer Economics at University of Hawaii at Manoa

The debt-to-earnings math looks reasonable here—comparable programs nationally suggest graduates carry about $24,000 in debt while earning around $40,000 in their first year. That 0.60 ratio falls within manageable territory, though the four-year earnings figure of $37,616 raises questions about early career trajectory. Family and consumer economics spans diverse career paths from financial counseling to housing policy, and that variation likely explains both the estimation methodology (sample sizes are small because relatively few schools offer this major) and the earnings volatility.

What's harder to gauge is Hawaii's specific context. As the only program of its kind in the state, there's no local comparison point, and cost-of-living concerns loom large in Honolulu. Whether $40,000 stretches adequately depends heavily on living arrangements and career sector—government and nonprofit roles may cluster at these salary levels while private sector positions could offer more upside. The national benchmarks suggest this program aligns with typical outcomes elsewhere, but without state-specific data, it's unclear whether Hawaii's unique economy creates better or worse opportunities than the mainland average.

Given the uncertainty, parents should focus on specific career targets and corresponding salary ranges in Hawaii before committing. The debt load seems serviceable if the work is meaningful and stable, but banking on significant early-career salary growth would be optimistic based on the four-year data point.