Social Work at University of Hawaii at Manoa

The most striking feature of UH Manoa's social work program is the dramatic earnings trajectory: graduates start at just $27,080 but nearly double their income to $51,751 within four years. That first-year figure ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally for social work programs, which typically see starting salaries around $37,000. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers might not reflect what every student experiences.

Within Hawaii's limited landscape of three social work programs, UH Manoa actually sits in the 60th percentile—essentially matching the state median. This suggests the low starting salary may reflect Hawaii's social services sector more than the program itself. The $24,610 debt load is reasonable and slightly below the national median, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio under 1.0 by the first year. Still, that initial $27,000 salary will make loan repayment challenging right out of college, even with income-driven plans.

The four-year earnings jump suggests either career advancement within social work or graduates moving into related fields with better pay. For families committed to staying in Hawaii and pursuing social work, this program doesn't appear worse than local alternatives. But if your child has flexibility on location, mainland programs offer significantly higher starting salaries that would ease those critical first few years of loan repayment.