ROI Major

Management Information Systems and Services at University of Hawaii at Manoa

HI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.12

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Management Information Systems and Services degree from University of Hawaii at Manoa earn a median salary of $71,278 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in HI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $38,738. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.1 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$57,021

Typical Career

$71,278

Top Performers

$89,253

Estimated break-even: 6.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$475

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,940. Most students can comfortably afford about a $475 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.8x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x 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: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 18.3%
Health Care & Social Assistance 17.7%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 12.4%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$38,738

Nominal: $71,278 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).

6.1 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

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 $39,284 $51,620 $63,335
5 Years After Graduation $57,021 $71,278 $89,253
10 Years After Graduation $74,301 $93,938 $111,665

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 $71,278 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)
= $71,278 × (1.0 ÷ 1.8400) = $38,738 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Management Information Systems and Services program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa can expect a positive earnings trajectory. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $51,620, increasing to $71,278 after five years and reaching $93,938 by the ten-year mark. However, when adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $38,738.04, indicating that while initial earnings may be competitive, the cost of living in Hawaii (COL index of 1.84) significantly impacts the real value of these earnings.

The program's graduates predominantly enter sectors such as Educational Services (18.3%), Health Care & Social Assistance (17.7%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (12.4%). Considering the estimated break-even point of approximately 6.1 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable, particularly for those entering high-demand industries. However, prospective students should weigh the high cost of living in Hawaii against their potential earnings and career opportunities.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Management Information Systems and Services degree at University of Hawaii at Manoa stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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.

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