Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration at Honolulu Community College
HI · Associate's Degree · CIP 47.02
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration degree from Honolulu Community College earn a median salary of $62,075 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in HI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $33,736. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.9 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$46,708
Typical Career
$62,075
Top Performers
$70,549
Estimated break-even: 7.9 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$414
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,173. Most students can comfortably afford about a $414 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Hawaii buys what costs $1.84 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Retail Trade, Health Care & Social Assistance, Construction.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$33,736
Nominal: $62,075 in Hawaii (COL 184.0% of national avg) · 45.7% lower purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $33,861 | $42,767 | $51,004 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $46,708 | $62,075 | $70,549 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $52,636 | $78,843 | $110,004 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $62,075 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in HI, which has a cost-of-living index of 184.0% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $62,075 × (1.0 ÷ 1.8400)
= $33,736 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The program's graduates predominantly enter the Retail Trade (16.2% and 14.8%) and Construction (14.5%) industries, indicating a diverse range of employment opportunities. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 7.9 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment (ROI) for this educational path may be favorable for those willing to commit to the program. Overall, while the potential earnings are promising, the higher cost of living in Hawaii should be carefully considered when evaluating long-term financial outcomes.
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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.