Head-to-head comparison
Leeward Community College vs Brigham Young University-Hawaii: which has better ROI?
Option A Pearl City, HI
Leeward Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,137
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,899
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Laie, HI
Brigham Young University-Hawaii
- Net price / year
- $16,774
- Earnings, 10 years
- $52,064
- Payback
- 18.1 yrs
Brigham Young University-Hawaii has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $67,096 in 18.1 years versus not at all at Leeward Community College, on median earnings of $52,064 vs $39,899 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Leeward Community College | Brigham Young University-Hawaii |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,137 | $16,774 |
| Total net cost | $10,274 | $67,096 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,899 | $52,064 |
| Median debt | $8,970 | $9,413 |
| Payback | — | 18.1 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$179,494 | $6,984 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Leeward Community College or Brigham Young University-Hawaii?
Leeward Community College, at $5,137 a year after aid versus $16,774 — a gap of $11,637 a year, or $56,822 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 Leeward Community College or Brigham Young University-Hawaii graduates earn more?
Brigham Young University-Hawaii graduates report a median $52,064 ten years after entry, $12,165 more than the $39,899 at Leeward 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, Leeward Community College or Brigham Young University-Hawaii?
Leeward Community College: its completers carry a median $8,970 in federal loans versus $9,413 at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, a difference of $443. 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?
53% of students finish at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, against 35% at Leeward 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.