Hawaii · Public Administration

Best colleges for Public Administration in Hawaii

Ranked by graduate earnings

University of Hawaii-West Oahu, Hawaii Pacific University and University of Hawaii at Manoa award the most Public Administration degrees and certificates in Hawaii: 105, 13 and 10 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 3 Hawaii colleges offer Public Administration and award 128 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Public Administration program focuses on the principles and practices involved in managing public sector organizations and services. It is designed for individuals interested in pursuing careers that contribute to the effective…

Institutions
3
offering CIP 44.04
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
128
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$42,481
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
1
College Scorecard
Median net price
$30,299
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
50%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · General and Operations Managers
$128,130
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top institution, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Hawaii-West Oahu
Kapolei Public · Bachelor's degree
$42,48110550%—$21,000

Colleges awarding the most Public Administration degrees in Hawaii

Top 3 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Hawaii-West Oahu
Kapolei Public
105$42,481
2Hawaii Pacific University
Honolulu Private not-for-profit
13Not reported
3University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu Public
10Not reported

Career outlook

What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.4%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~308,700
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$102,950
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningSpeakingMonitoringCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What General and Operations Managers earn in Hawaii

Jobs in Hawaii
13,380
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$128,130
median $108,180
Best-paying metro
$130,360
Urban Honolulu, HI

Related careers

General and Operations Managers
$128,130 avg · 13,380 jobs
Construction Managers
$129,760 avg · 2,890 jobs
Social and Community Service Managers
$81,090 avg · 980 jobs
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
$115,630 avg · 830 jobs
Chief Executives
$302,620 avg · 470 jobs
Urban and Regional Planners
$85,560 avg · 450 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Public Administration programs in Hawaii.

Which Hawaii colleges award the most Public Administration degrees?+

University of Hawaii-West Oahu (105 graduates a year), Hawaii Pacific University (13 graduates a year) and University of Hawaii at Manoa (10 graduates a year) award the most Public Administration degrees and certificates in Hawaii, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 3 Hawaii colleges offer Public Administration.

Which Public Administration program in Hawaii has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Hawaii-West Oahu tops the list at $42,481. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do General and Operations Managers earn in Hawaii?+

The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Hawaii is $128,130 (median $108,180), across about 13,380 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Public Administration program?+

The Public Administration program focuses on the principles and practices involved in managing public sector organizations and services. It is designed for individuals interested in pursuing careers that contribute to the effective…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+

The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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