HCC vs. KCC

Should I go to Honolulu Community College or Kapiolani Community College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if HCC or KCC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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LCC HCC UH at Manoa
Honolulu Community College vs. Kapiolani Community College comparison
Honolulu Community College Kapiolani Community College College 3 College 4
Kapiolani Community College
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Overview

HCC KCC
Location Honolulu, HI Honolulu, HI
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 3,069 5,828
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hawaii.edu hawaii.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

HCC KCC
Tuition (In State) $3,144 $3,144
Tuition (Out of State) $8,280 $8,280
Room & Board $16,046 $16,046
Avg Net Price $7,673 $6,886
Avg Grant Aid $4,066 $4,419
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 72%

Admission

HCC KCC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 8, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

HCC KCC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering Technology (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Precision Production Trades (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (45%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (9%)
  • Legal Professions (2%)

Outcomes

HCC KCC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $40,400
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $8,000 $10,500
Median Loan Payment $82 $108

Diversity

HCC KCC
% Men 53% 34%
% Women 47% 66%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 9% 9%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 8% 3%
% Two or More Races 29% 23%
% International 1% 12%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

HCC KCC
% In-State 95% 77%
% Out-of-State 4% 5%

Campus

HCC KCC
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Kapiolani Community College is larger than than HCC based on total student enrollment (5,828 students vs. 3,069 students)

HCC vs. KCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HCC or KCC?

  • Honolulu Community College and KCC cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($3,144.00 vs. $3,144.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at HCC as Kapiolani Community College ($8,280.00 vs. $8,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kapiolani Community College than HCC ($6,886 vs. $7,673)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kapiolani Community College are 0% lower than costs at Honolulu Community College ($16,046 vs. $16,046)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Honolulu Community College than Kapiolani Community College (99% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kapiolani Community College students is 8.7% larger than aid received Honolulu Community College ($4,419 vs. $4,066)

Which college is harder to get into, HCC or KCC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between KCC or HCC .

HCC vs. KCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, HCC or KCC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between KCC and HCC.

  • Graduates from Kapiolani Community College earn on average $3,100 more per year than HCC graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $37,300)
  • Honolulu Community College students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than KCC graduates. ($8,000 vs. $10,500)
  • HCC graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than KCC graduates. ($82 vs. $108)
  • More KCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 48%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/