Microbiological Sciences and Immunology at University of Hawaii at Manoa

A bachelor's degree in Microbiological Sciences and Immunology from UH Manoa comes with estimated first-year earnings of $38,040—right at the national median for the field—and projected debt of about $22,000. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58 suggests a manageable burden if those earnings hold true, though it's worth noting these figures come from national peer programs rather than tracked outcomes for Manoa graduates specifically. The lack of reported data likely reflects small cohort sizes in this specialized major, not a red flag about the program itself.

The real question is trajectory. Microbiology and immunology typically serve as launching pads for graduate school, medical school, or research careers rather than terminal degrees with immediate earning power. If your child plans to stop at a bachelor's, $38,000 is modest for a STEM field in Hawaii's high cost-of-living environment. But if they're headed to grad school or professional programs—where this degree often leads—that $22,000 in undergraduate debt becomes the foundation of a larger loan portfolio. The field rewards advanced credentials, so the value calculation hinges heavily on what comes next.

As Hawaii's only program in this discipline, UH Manoa offers something unique in-state, which matters for residency tuition benefits. Just recognize you're making decisions with limited visibility into actual graduate outcomes. If pre-med or research is the goal, this path makes sense; if immediate employment is the plan, probe what bachelor's-level opportunities actually exist in Hawaii's biotech and healthcare sectors.