Head-to-head comparison
Hawaii Community College vs Windward Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Hilo, HI
Hawaii Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,942
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,891
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Kaneohe, HI
Windward Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,169
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,439
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Windward Community College comes closer — median earnings $38,439 against a $16,338 total, vs $34,891 at Hawaii Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Hawaii Community College | Windward Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,942 | $8,169 |
| Total net cost | $17,884 | $16,338 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,891 | $38,439 |
| Median debt | $10,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$287,264 | -$214,758 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Hawaii Community College or Windward Community College?
Windward Community College, at $8,169 a year after aid versus $8,942 — a gap of $773 a year, or $1,546 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Hawaii Community College or Windward Community College graduates earn more?
Windward Community College graduates report a median $38,439 ten years after entry, $3,548 more than the $34,891 at Hawaii Community College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Hawaii Community College or Windward Community College?
Windward Community College: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $10,500 at Hawaii Community College, a difference of $1,000. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
33% of students finish at Hawaii Community College, against 31% at Windward Community College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.