Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Kauai Community College
HI · Associate's Degree · CIP 47.06
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies degree from Kauai Community College earn a median salary of $41,382 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in HI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $22,490. The degree typically pays for itself in 32.8 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
$32,393
Typical Career
$41,382
Top Performers
$50,907
Estimated break-even: 32.8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$276
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,449. Most students can comfortably afford about a $276 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x 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
$22,490
Nominal: $41,382 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 | $22,688 | $29,141 | $38,355 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $32,393 | $41,382 | $50,907 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $36,560 | $45,300 | $55,111 |
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 $41,382 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)
= $41,382 × (1.0 ÷ 1.8400)
= $22,490 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 33.7% of employment, followed by 27.9% in the same sector and 23.4% in Accommodation & Food Services. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 32.8 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for this program may be considered lengthy. Students should weigh these factors carefully when considering their career trajectory in vehicle maintenance and repair technologies.
Compare with Another School
See how the Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies degree at Kauai Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Kauai Community College.
Explore More
Other Degrees at Kauai Community College
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.