KCC vs. HCC

Should I go to Kauai Community College or Hawaii Community College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if KCC or HCC 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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KCC
Kauai Community College vs. Hawaii Community College comparison
Kauai Community College Hawaii Community College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 KCC HCC
Location Lihue, HI Hilo, HI
Setting Rural Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 1,308 2,127
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hawaii.edu hawaii.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 KCC HCC
Tuition (In State) $3,144 $3,144
Tuition (Out of State) $8,280 $8,280
Room & Board $16,581 $8,248
Avg Net Price $11,212 $9,843
Avg Grant Aid $6,833 $5,972
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 82%

Admission

 KCC HCC
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 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 KCC HCC
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (29%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (9%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (33%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (17%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (7%)

Outcomes

 KCC HCC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,500 $30,600
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 36%
Median Student Loan Debt $9,500 $9,000
Median Loan Payment $98 $93

Diversity

 KCC HCC
% Men 36% 40%
% Women 64% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 17% 14%
% Black 0% 1%
% Hispanic 10% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 7% 10%
% Two or More Races 34% 40%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 KCC HCC
% In-State 98% 98%
% Out-of-State 2% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Hawaii Community College is larger than than KCC based on total student enrollment (2,127 students vs. 1,308 students)

KCC vs. HCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KCC or HCC?

  • Kauai Community College and HCC 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 KCC as Hawaii Community College ($8,280.00 vs. $8,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hawaii Community College than KCC ($9,843 vs. $11,212)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hawaii Community College are 101% lower than costs at Kauai Community College ($8,248 vs. $16,581)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hawaii Community College than Kauai Community College (82% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kauai Community College students is 14.4% larger than aid received Hawaii Community College ($6,833 vs. $5,972)

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

KCC vs. HCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KCC or HCC? 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 HCC and KCC.

  • Graduates from Kauai Community College earn on average $3,900 more per year than HCC graduates after ten years. ($34,500 vs. $30,600)
  • Hawaii Community College students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than KCC graduates. ($9,000 vs. $9,500)
  • HCC graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than KCC graduates. ($93 vs. $98)
  • More KCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 36%)

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