Kapiolani Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Honolulu, Hawaii. It enrolls 3,910 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
64/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes21
Value90
Affordability48
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Kapiolani Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Kapiolani Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $5,202 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$5,202
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
19%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
6%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$3,284
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,420
Room & Board (off-campus)
$22,501
Books & Supplies
$1,360
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,462
Total Cost of Attendance
$11,992
Application fee: $25 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$4,068
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,369
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,367
$75,001 – $110,000
$7,820
Over $110,000
$10,591
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,81210%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$9,229Medianpercentile
$12,00075%percentile
$20,49090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $7,000
↓ $2,229
No Pell $5,500
↓ $3,729
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $3,729
Independent students $9,500
↑ $271
Female students $6,000
↓ $3,229
Male students $6,750
↓ $2,479
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($9,229), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
25% of full-time students who enrolled at Kapiolani Community College graduate within six years, and 62% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
25%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
62%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Kapiolani Community College earn a median of $44,599 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$44,599
Earning > $25K
67%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$41,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$46,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $5,300, about 11% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
20.1 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 83% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Kapiolani Community College is home to 3,910 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 42% are first-generation college students, 64% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
3,910
Part-Time
64%
First-Generation
42%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Asian 37.7%1,472
Other 29.2%1,141
Hispanic 12.9%505
White 9.4%368
International 8.6%336
Black 1.8%69
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Kapiolani Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityHonolulu, Hawaii
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
35%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Kapiolani Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
20 distinct programs across
9 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Kapiolani Community College is 15:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
15:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$9,914
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$89,191
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
161 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
47
29%
$107,659
Associate Professors
30
19%
$90,738
Assistant Professors
53
33%
$81,262
Instructors
31
19%
$73,248
Pros & Cons of Kapiolani Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Kapiolani Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Kapiolani Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kapiolani Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Kapiolani Community College.
Is Kapiolani Community College hard to get into?
Kapiolani Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Kapiolani Community College?
Kapiolani Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Kapiolani Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Kapiolani Community College is $5,202 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Kapiolani Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $44,599 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $5,202 per year. That's roughly 8.6x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Kapiolani Community College known for?
Kapiolani Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Natural Sciences, Culinary Arts. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Kapiolani Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Kapiolani Community College are $44,599, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Kapiolani Community College accredited?
Yes. Kapiolani Community College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Kapiolani Community College?
Kapiolani Community College enrolls 3,910 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Kapiolani Community College?
Kapiolani Community College graduates 25% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Kapiolani Community College a public or private college?
Kapiolani Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Kapiolani Community College located?
Kapiolani Community College is located in Honolulu, Hawaii.
What programs does Kapiolani Community College offer?
Kapiolani Community College offers 20 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Natural Sciences, Culinary Arts.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Kapiolani Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Kapiolani Community College is 15:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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