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Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration at University of Hawaii at Hilo

HI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 51.20

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration degree from University of Hawaii at Hilo earn a median salary of $153,130 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in HI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $83,223. The degree typically pays for itself in 1.7 years.

Quick Insights

Financial Home Run

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

$128,863

Typical Career

$153,130

Top Performers

$179,312

Estimated to break even in under 3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$1,021

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $12,761. Most students can comfortably afford about a $1,021 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 3.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 2.0x 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, Retail Trade.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 23.4%
Educational Services 22.2%
Retail Trade 12.2%

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

$83,223

Nominal: $153,130 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).

1.7 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

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 $82,569 $126,423 $158,402
5 Years After Graduation $128,863 $153,130 $179,312
10 Years After Graduation $126,535 $144,261 $181,176

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 $153,130 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)
= $153,130 × (1.0 ÷ 1.8400) = $83,223 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration programs at the University of Hawaii at Hilo experience a notable earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $126,423, increasing to $153,130 five years post-graduation. However, by the ten-year mark, median earnings decrease slightly to $144,261. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to $83,222.83 nationally, reflecting the high cost of living in Hawaii, where the cost of living index is 1.84 compared to the national average of 1.0.

The top industries for graduates indicate a strong alignment with health-related fields, with 23.4% entering Health Care & Social Assistance and 22.2% in Educational Services. Retail Trade also accounts for 12.2% of graduates. The estimated break-even point for pursuing this degree versus a high school-only path is approximately 1.7 years, suggesting a relatively quick return on investment. Overall, while the cost of living in Hawaii may impact purchasing power, the potential for high earnings in relevant industries supports a favorable long-term career outlook.

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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.