Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Kapiolani Community College
HI · Associate's Degree · CIP 24.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree from Kapiolani Community College earn a median salary of $48,779 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in HI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $26,510. The degree typically pays for itself in 13.3 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
$34,086
Typical Career
$48,779
Top Performers
$65,657
Estimated break-even: 13.3 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$325
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,065. Most students can comfortably afford about a $325 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x 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: Health Care & Social Assistance, Accommodation & Food Services, Retail Trade.
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
$26,510
Nominal: $48,779 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 | $21,919 | $29,895 | $42,415 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $34,086 | $48,779 | $65,657 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $42,167 | $59,802 | $78,902 |
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 $48,779 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)
= $48,779 × (1.0 ÷ 1.8400)
= $26,510 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter include Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 33.4% of employment, followed closely by another segment of Health Care & Social Assistance at 29.5%, and Accommodation & Food Services at 21.0%. The estimated break-even point for pursuing this degree versus a high school-only path is approximately 13.3 years, indicating a significant time investment before realizing a return on educational expenses. Overall, while there are opportunities in key industries, the ROI may require careful consideration given the extended break-even period and the impact of Hawaii's cost of living on earnings.
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See how the Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree at Kapiolani Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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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.