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University of Hawaii at Hilo
University of Hawaii at Hilo says yes to 60.6% of applicants. Focus less on getting in and more on what's below — starting with the $47,856 median earnings.
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University of Hawaii at Hilo anchors the college town of Hilo, HI, where the public campus and town largely share a footprint.
Its highest-earning path is Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, where graduates median $131,134 four years out. 40.4% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 2,160 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 72.8% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 898 and 1110 — below the HI middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on University of Hawaii at Hilo's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, University of Hawaii at Hilo received 2,562 applications and admitted 2,300 (89.8%), with 367 enrolling.
You can apply to University of Hawaii at Hilo without scores. Among admitted students who did submit, the middle half landed between 898 and 1110; applicants below that range often simply apply without them.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 478 | 535 | 570 |
| SAT Math | 420 | 500 | 540 |
| ACT Composite | 15 | 19 | 22 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How University of Hawaii at Hilo compares
| University of Hawaii at Hilo | Hawaii median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 60.6% | 86.2% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $7,838 | $12,186 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $47,856 | $52,075 | $53,781 |
At $47,856, ten-year earnings trail the state median ($52,075). Look at University of Hawaii at Hilo's major-level rows below before reading too much into the campus-wide number.
Cost, size & completion
In-state students pay $7,838 in tuition; crossing a state border raises that to $20,798. For non-residents, University of Hawaii at Hilo's $20,798 is the number to weigh against private options before assuming public means cheaper.
At 2,160 undergrads, University of Hawaii at Hilo is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.
48.4% graduate within six years. Roughly 52% don't — ask a University of Hawaii at Hilo tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at University of Hawaii at Hilo
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $131,134 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $111,027 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $54,330 |
| Biology, General | $54,200 |
| Psychology, General | $51,061 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $48,783 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $47,534 |
| Agriculture, General | $44,096 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $41,750 |
| Sociology | $39,582 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $39,528 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $38,185 |
Median earnings for these 12 University of Hawaii at Hilo programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $47,856 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 22 additional University of Hawaii at Hilo programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of Hawaii at Hilo?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 898–1110 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 60.6% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is University of Hawaii at Hilo's acceptance rate?
89.8% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 2,300 admitted from 2,562 applicants.
How much does University of Hawaii at Hilo cost?
In-state tuition is $7,838; out-of-state students pay $20,798. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do University of Hawaii at Hilo graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $47,856 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Hawaii
- University of Hawaii at Manoa — 86.6% admitted
- Chaminade University of Honolulu — 91.4% admitted
- Hawaii Pacific University — 85.9% admitted
- University of Hawaii-West Oahu — 95.3% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.