Social Sciences, General at University of Hawaii - West Oahu
HI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 45.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Social Sciences, General degree from University of Hawaii - West Oahu earn a median salary of $50,050 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in HI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $27,201. The degree typically pays for itself in 11.7 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
$37,280
Typical Career
$50,050
Top Performers
$63,912
Estimated break-even: 11.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$334
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,171. Most students can comfortably afford about a $334 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, Educational Services, Public Administration.
Where Bachelor'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
$27,201
Nominal: $50,050 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 | $26,706 | $37,321 | $47,794 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $37,280 | $50,050 | $63,912 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $46,492 | $61,749 | $86,844 |
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 $50,050 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)
= $50,050 × (1.0 ÷ 1.8400)
= $27,201 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
Graduates primarily enter fields such as Health Care & Social Assistance and Educational Services, each accounting for 18.1% of employment, followed by Public Administration at 11.1%. The estimated break-even point for pursuing a degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 11.7 years, indicating that while the degree may lead to higher earnings, the return on investment is influenced by the extended time required to recoup educational costs in a high-cost state. Overall, students should weigh the long-term benefits against the immediate financial implications of living in Hawaii.
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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.