Special Education and Teaching: Rhode Island College vs University of Hawaii at Manoa

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Rhode Island College
Providence, RI
In-State
12.7x
$43,944 tuition
12.0x
$48,744 tuition
Out-of-State
5.3x
$106,076 tuition
4.3x
$136,872 tuition
$557,586 10-yr earnings · Public
$587,087 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Rhode Island College University of Hawaii at Manoa
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.7x 12.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.3x 4.3x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $43,944 $48,744
Year 1 Earnings $50,060 $60,396
10-Year Earnings $558K $587K
Median Debt $25,781 $16,049
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 6.2 months 3.2 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 54/100 56/100
Acceptance Rate 81.1% 69.7%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (44% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Special Education and Teaching graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Special Education and Teaching graduates.

Rhode Island College University of Hawaii at Manoa
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $43,944 $48,744
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $106,076 $136,872
10-Year Projected Earnings $558K $587K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.7x 12.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.3x 4.3x
5-Year Salary Growth +14% +3%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Special Education and Teaching (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Rhode Island College University of Hawaii at Manoa
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $564K $558K $525K $597K $587K $549K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 12.8x 12.7x 12.0x 12.3x 12.0x 11.3x
DegreeWorth Score 56 54 54 58 56 54

For the full AI analysis of Special Education and Teaching career paths, see the Rhode Island College or University of Hawaii at Manoa program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Special Education and Teaching graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$4,800
Rhode Island College saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$10,336/yr
University of Hawaii at Manoa grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
12.7x / 12.0x
Out-of-state: 5.3x / 4.3x

Career Paths

Special Education and Teaching graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Education teachers, postsecondary $72,090 5,600 +2.1% 49%
Special education teachers, secondary school $69,590 11,100 -1.6% 30%
Special education teachers, all other $67,430 2,900 +1.1% 48%
Special education teachers, middle school $64,880 6,300 -1.9% 31%
Special education teachers, preschool $62,190 2,100 +1.4% 20%
Interpreters and translators $59,440 6,900 +1.7% 88%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Special Education and Teaching: Rhode Island College or University of Hawaii at Manoa?
Rhode Island College scores 54/100 while University of Hawaii at Manoa scores 56/100. Rhode Island College has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Special Education and Teaching?
Rhode Island College has an in-state earnings multiple of 12.7x vs University of Hawaii at Manoa's 12.0x. That means Rhode Island College grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Rhode Island College and University of Hawaii at Manoa compare on Special Education and Teaching earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $50,060 at Rhode Island College vs $60,396 at University of Hawaii at Manoa. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $557,586 vs $587,087 — a difference of $29,501.
How much does Special Education and Teaching cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $43,944 at Rhode Island College and $48,744 at University of Hawaii at Manoa. Median debt at graduation is $25,781 vs $16,049. Both programs lead to the same Special Education and Teaching career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.