Software Engineering Degree in Honolulu, HI — Salary & ROI 2026
Software Engineering degree analysis for Honolulu, HI. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$106K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$155K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.5 yrs
in Honolulu
Cost of Living
121
index (100 = avg)
Software Engineering in Honolulu, HI Overview
Honolulu, Hawaii (pop. 350,964) has 12 colleges offering Software Engineering 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. Software Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Software Design and Testing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Honolulu is approximately $106,480.
Category
STEM
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%
Software Engineering Salary in Honolulu (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Honolulu's cost of living index of 121 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Software Engineering salary: $88,000 starting, $128,000 mid-career, $160,000 senior level.Honolulu adjustment factor: 1.21x based on the local cost of living index.
Software Engineering ROI Calculator for Honolulu
Estimate your return on investment for a Software Engineering 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
$64,130
vs HS diploma in Honolulu
ROI Payback Period
1.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Honolulu
$1,328,776
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,427,800) minus total education cost ($99,024)
Student Loan Payoff for Software Engineering in Honolulu
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Honolulu for Software Engineering
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 Software Engineering in Honolulu
Honolulu offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Software Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Honolulu Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Software Engineering Job Titles
Other STEM Majors in Honolulu
Prompt Engineering
$61K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$115K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$103K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Data Science
$99K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$97K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$61K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Software Engineering 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 Software Engineering ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Honolulu.