Foreign Languages, Literatures, And LinguisticsSpecialization of Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages

Best institutions to study Hawaiian Language and Literature

CIP 16.1409New in CIP 2020

A program that focuses on the Hawaiian language and related dialects.

2 U.S. institutions graduated 12 Hawaiian Language and Literature students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 16.1409, a specialization of Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages (CIP 16.14), and leads most directly to the Interpreters and Translators occupation (BLS SOC 27-3091).

Institutions
2
offering CIP 16.1409
States offered
1
with graduates reported
Graduates / yr
12
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Women
25%
share of graduates
US median pay · Interpreters and Translators
$60,170
BLS OEWS May 2025
Share of Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages
31%
of all Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages graduates

About Hawaiian Language and Literature programs

Official NCES definition · CIP 16.1409
A program that focuses on the Hawaiian language and related dialects. Includes instruction in philology; dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).

The Hawaiian Language and Literature program is designed for students interested in the Hawaiian language and its related dialects. This program encompasses various aspects of philology and dialect studies, preparing students for diverse applications in business, science, technology, and more. It is ideal for those passionate about preserving and promoting Hawaiian culture through language.

What you'll learn

Students in this program will develop core skills in speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, and writing. Coursework also emphasizes critical thinking and learning strategies, equipping graduates with a strong foundation in both the Hawaiian language and its literary traditions.

Credentials awarded

What Hawaiian Language and Literature graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).

  • Bachelor's degree8 graduates / yr · 1 institution
    67%
  • Master's degree2 graduates / yr · 1 institution
    17%
  • Doctor's degree - research/scholarship2 graduates / yr · 1 institution
    17%

Graduates over time

Hawaiian Language and Literature completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.

12graduates in 2025
+500% since 2021
23 · 202320212025212
Graduates per year (IPEDS completions)
YearGraduates
20212
20222
202323
202421
202512

CIP 16.1409 was introduced in CIP 2020, so the series starts when institutions began reporting under the new code.

Top 2 institutions for Hawaiian Language and Literature, ranked by graduates

Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.

#InstitutionGraduates / yrGrad rateNet price
1University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HIPublicBachelor'sMaster's
1064%—
2University of Hawaii at Hilo
Hilo, HIPublicDoctoral
248%—

Offered in 1 states

Where Hawaiian Language and Literature graduates come from. Each state links to all Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages programs offered there.

StateInstitutionsGraduates / yrTop institution by graduates
Hawaii212University of Hawaii at Manoa10 / yr

Careers & outlook

The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-3091, Interpreters and Translators, and its national outlook.

Graduates of the Hawaiian Language and Literature program can pursue careers as interpreters and translators, secondary school teachers, or postsecondary foreign language educators. The job outlook for related occupations shows little or no change, with an annual opening of approximately 6,900 positions and a median wage of $59,440, typically requiring a bachelor's degree.

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+1.7%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~6,900
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$59,440
typically Bachelor's degree
National employment
52,060
Interpreters and Translators
US average pay
$66,360
annual, BLS OEWS May 2025
US median pay
$60,170
annual

Top-paying metros

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$93,650avg
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$93,460avg
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$92,880avg
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$91,110avg
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$90,940avg

Career pathways for CIP 16.1409

The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.

OccupationUS median payGrowthOpenings / yrTypical entry education
Interpreters and Translatorsprimary
SOC 27-3091
$60,170+1.7%
Little or no change
~6,900Bachelor's degree
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
SOC 25-2031
$72,040-1.6%
Decline
~66,200Bachelor's degree
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1124
$79,350-0.2%
Little or no change
~1,900Doctoral or professional degree
Preparation needed

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Related careers

Interpreters and Translators
$66,360 avg · 52,060 jobs
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
$89,990 avg · 19,830 jobs

Skills & knowledge in Hawaiian Language and Literature programs

From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.

Skills you'll build

Speaking
Active Listening
Reading Comprehension
Writing
Monitoring
Critical Thinking
Active Learning
Learning Strategies

Knowledge areas

English Language
Foreign Language
Customer and Personal Service
Education and Training
Administrative
Public Safety and Security

Abilities that matter most

Oral Expression
Oral Comprehension
Written Comprehension
Written Expression
Speech Recognition
Speech Clarity

Day-to-day work activities

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Getting Information

What graduates do on the job

  • Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
  • Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
  • Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.
  • Compile terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material.
  • Refer to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerized terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy.
  • Check translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions.

Tools and technology used

AceTools.biz Ace TranslatorAdapt ItAmoK TranslatorAshkon Translation PadBabylon Online TranslatorDocTranslateElectronic dictionariesExcelTrans Translator

Other Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages specializations

The 10 other 6-digit CIP codes under Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages (CIP 16.14).

Show 6 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
  • Southeast Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics16.1400
  • Indonesian/Malay Languages and Literatures16.1402
  • Burmese Language and Literature16.1403
  • Khmer/Cambodian Language and Literature16.1405
  • Lao Language and Literature16.1406
  • Thai Language and Literature16.1407

No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.

See all Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages programs →

Common questions

What degrees can I earn in this program?+

You can earn a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctor's degree in Hawaiian Language and Literature.

What skills will I develop?+

You will develop skills in speaking, writing, critical thinking, and active listening.

What careers can I pursue after graduation?+

You can work as an interpreter, translator, or language teacher.

What is the job outlook for this field?+

The job outlook shows little or no change, with 6,900 annual openings.

What is the CIP code for Hawaiian Language and Literature?+

Hawaiian Language and Literature is CIP 16.1409 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages (CIP 16.14). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the Hawaiian language and related dialects. Includes instruction in philology; dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.

How many institutions offer Hawaiian Language and Literature programs?+

2 U.S. institutions reported Hawaiian Language and Literature graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 1 states, awarding 12 credentials in the year. That is 30.8% of all Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages graduates.

How much do Hawaiian Language and Literature graduates earn?+

Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Interpreters and Translators occupation, which Hawaiian Language and Literature most directly leads to, pays a median of $60,170 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages by stateHawaii

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.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.

Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card