Human Resources Management and Services at University of Hawaii at Manoa

This program starts graduates at $44,615—about $6,700 below what HR majors typically earn in Hawaii and roughly $6,000 below the national median. While the 40th percentile ranking within Hawaii sounds middle-of-the-pack, remember there are only four HR programs in the state, so this effectively means you're choosing between limited options rather than finding exceptional value.

The upside here is debt: graduates leave owing just $12,968, dramatically less than both the state median ($31,719) and national median ($26,625). That low debt load creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29, meaning graduates owe less than three months of their first year's salary. Earnings do grow to $50,548 by year four, which narrows the gap with state and national benchmarks, though the program still lags the top performer in Hawaii (University of Phoenix-Hawaii graduates earn $57,983).

For families prioritizing affordability, UH Manoa delivers a functional HR degree without the debt burden that plagues this field nationally. The earnings shortfall is real but manageable given what you're not borrowing. If your student plans to stay in Hawaii's job market and you're comparing in-state options, this works—just understand they'll start behind peers from competing programs and may need to be more strategic about career advancement to close that gap.