Hawaii Career & Training Directory
Explore 218 careers with Hawaii-specific salary data, licensing requirements, and 7 accredited schools.
Top Careers in Hawaii
Hawaii's Tourism Economy and Healthcare Shortage Drive Premium Career Wages
Hawaii's geographic isolation creates both unique career opportunities and significant labor shortages. Tourism and hospitality anchor the economy — Waikiki, Maui, and the Big Island host millions of visitors annually — while the state's chronic shortage of healthcare workers produces wages well above national medians for nurses and allied health roles. The U.S. military's Indo-Pacific Command in Honolulu sustains thousands of civilian defense jobs. Construction wages are among the highest in the nation due to materials logistics costs. Low unemployment (typically below 3%) keeps wages competitive across almost every trade.
Registered Nurse
- Median Salary
- $104,800/yr
- Job Growth
- +6.4% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 2–4 years (ADN or BSN)
Electrician
- Median Salary
- $88,200/yr
- Job Growth
- +9.8% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 4–5 years (apprenticeship)
Plumber
- Median Salary
- $86,700/yr
- Job Growth
- +8.6% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 4–5 years (apprenticeship)
HVAC Technician
- Median Salary
- $72,100/yr
- Job Growth
- +9.1% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 6 months–2 years (certificate)
Physical Therapist
- Median Salary
- $97,600/yr
- Job Growth
- +16.3% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 3-year doctoral program (DPT)
Construction Manager
- Median Salary
- $112,400/yr
- Job Growth
- +7.2% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 4-year bachelor's degree
Salary figures based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024/2025. Growth projections from BLS Employment Projections 2022–2032. State figures reflect Hawaii-specific wage data; individual employer pay varies.
Airline Pilot (Career Track) / Flight Student
DevOps Engineer / Site Reliability Engineer
Cybersecurity Analyst
Cloud Technician / Cloud Engineer
Construction Manager / Superintendent
Database Administrator (DBA)
Schools in Hawaii
Honolulu Community College
Hawaii's premier technical community college with strong trades, automotive, and culinary programs; open admissions ACCJ...
Kapi'olani Community College
Diamond Head-adjacent community college renowned for culinary arts, health sciences nursing and dental hygiene programs;...
Hawai'i Community College
Big Island community college with nursing, culinary arts, and trades programs; strong cultural connection to Native Hawa...
University of Hawai'i Maui College
Maui's UH community college offering bachelor's degrees in Business Information Technology and Sustainable Science along...
About Hawaii's Job Market
Hawaii's economy supports a strong demand for trained vocational professionals across healthcare, construction, technology, and transportation. The state's growing population drives steady openings for allied health workers, skilled tradespeople, and tech professionals.