More selective than 80% of Hawaii colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $21,173. College Scorecard.
Higher than 43% of Hawaii colleges we cover and 39% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 29% of Hawaii colleges we cover and 34% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of Hawaii at Hilo acceptance rate & admissions
Of 2,562 applicants, University of Hawaii at Hilo admitted 2,300 and 367 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 945–1175 on the SAT or 15–22 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of Hawaii at Hilo tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Hawaii residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What University of Hawaii at Hilo costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Hawaii at Hilo took 4.5 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Hawaii. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $8,983 | $40,424 | 3.6 years |
| $30–48k | $9,243 | $41,594 | 3.7 years |
| $48–75k | $11,535 | $51,908 | 4.6 years |
| $75–110k | $14,734 | $66,303 | 5.9 years |
| $110k+ | $17,403 | $78,314 | 7.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (25% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($47,856) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in HI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,195 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
University of Hawaii at Hilo majors, earnings & careers
University of Hawaii at Hilo offers 34 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 10
- Humanities & Languages · 7
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Business & Finance · 3
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Arts & Design · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
- Trades & Applied Technology · 1
Highest-earning majors at University of Hawaii at Hilo
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $131,134 | $20,500 |
| Nursing | $111,027 | $26,875 |
| Business Administration | $54,330 | $18,500 |
| Biology | $54,200 | $21,750 |
| Psychology | $51,061 | $22,585 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $48,783 | $22,750 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $47,534 | — |
| Agriculture | $44,096 | $26,345 |
Quick list of all 34 majors
- Accounting—
- Agriculture$44,096
- Air Transportation—
- Anthropology—
- Area Studies—
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
- Biology$54,200
- Business Administration$54,330
- Chemistry—
- Communications$41,750
- Computer Science—
- Criminal Justice$38,185
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology$39,528
- Economics—
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation$47,534
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Geography—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- History—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$48,783
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Linguistics—
- Mathematics—
- Music—
- Natural Sciences—
- Nursing$111,027
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration$131,134
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$51,061
- Sociology$39,582
- Studio Art—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration → Pharmacist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Hilo
2 bedrooms $2,081.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 120 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: wildfire (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Hawaii County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Hawaii County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of Hawaii at Hilo with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Hawaii by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hawaii at Hilo | 61% | $11,856 | 48% | $47,856 | This school |
| University of Hawaii Maui College | — | $8,061 | 28% | $34,453 | |
| University of Hawaii-West Oahu | 95% | $10,327 | 50% | $52,075 | |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | 87% | $15,664 | 64% | $57,624 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Hawaii at Hilo would cost you $3,795 more per year than University of Hawaii Maui College, on average.
- Higher sticker price at University of Hawaii at Hilo.
- University of Hawaii at Hilo gives aided families $2,441 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Hawaii resident | University of Hawaii at Hilo | University of Hawaii Maui College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sticker price | $21,173 | $14,937 | +$6,236 |
| Average grants | −$9,317 | −$6,876 | −$2,441 |
| You pay | $11,856 | $8,061 | +$3,795 |
“+” means University of Hawaii at Hilo costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about University of Hawaii at Hilo
What is the University of Hawaii at Hilo acceptance rate?
University of Hawaii at Hilo accepts 61% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,300 of 2,562 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 945–1175 on the SAT or 15–22 on the ACT.
How much does University of Hawaii at Hilo cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $21,173 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $11,856 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $8,983 and families earning $110k+ pay $17,403.
How much do University of Hawaii at Hilo graduates earn?
Former University of Hawaii at Hilo students earn a median $47,856 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of Hawaii at Hilo graduation rate?
48% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 73% return for their second year.
How long does a University of Hawaii at Hilo degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Hawaii at Hilo costs about $51,908 after grants ($11,535 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $47,856 ten years after starting, $11,195 more than high school graduates in Hawaii ($36,661), so the cost is repaid in 4.6 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Hawaii at Hilo: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-hawaii-at-hilo (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).