History Degree in Honolulu, HI — Salary & ROI 2026
History degree analysis for Honolulu, HI. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$75K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
9.1 yrs
in Honolulu
Cost of Living
121
index (100 = avg)
History in Honolulu, HI Overview
Honolulu, Hawaii (pop. 350,964) has 12 colleges offering History programs. The local cost of living index of 121 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,330/month. Although national enrollment in History has been declining, graduates with skills in Research and Writing remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Honolulu is approximately $53,240.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$12,186/yr
Private Tuition
$27,060/yr
Room & Board
$12,570/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,299/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
54%
History Salary in Honolulu (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Honolulu's cost of living index of 121 (national average = 100).
Note: National average History salary: $44,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Honolulu adjustment factor: 1.21x based on the local cost of living index.
History ROI Calculator for Honolulu
Estimate your return on investment for a History degree using local Honolulu tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,186 | Private avg: $27,060
Honolulu avg aid: $12,299/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$99,024
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$10,890
vs HS diploma in Honolulu
ROI Payback Period
9.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Honolulu
$142,976
Lifetime earnings premium ($242,000) minus total education cost ($99,024)
Student Loan Payoff for History in Honolulu
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Honolulu for History
University of Hawaii at Manoa
public
$12,186/yr
$48,744 total
Chaminade University of Honolulu
private
$27,060/yr
$108,240 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Honolulu Community College
$3,432/yr
Top Employers for History in Honolulu
Honolulu offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Honolulu Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common History Job Titles
Other Humanities Majors in Honolulu
Chinese Studies
$67K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$61K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$53K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$61K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$51K starting · 7 yr ROI
Classics
$61K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$51K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History
$61K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
History Degree in Honolulu — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare History ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Honolulu.