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Hawaii vs Montana: Scholarship Climate 2026

Which climate fits best? Hawaii offers a higher average award size and more scholarship opportunities compared to Montana, making it more suitable for applicants seeking substantial financial aid.

State vs State

State A

Hawaii

State B

Montana

Quick comparison

MetricHawaiiMontana
Active scholarships in catalog3833
Avg. award (where known)$3,184$2,639
Max indexed award$20,000$25,000

Financial Aid Overview for 2026

In 2026, Hawaii presents a robust scholarship climate with a total of 44 grants available, averaging approximately $3,568 per award. The maximum award can reach up to $20,000. Notable scholarship providers include AFCEA Hawaii and Wai'anae Hawaiian Civic Club, which contribute significantly to the funding landscape.

In contrast, Montana offers 38 grants with an average award size of about $2,527, and a maximum award of $25,000. Key scholarship sources include the Montana Coaches Association and the Montana Federation of Garden Clubs. While Montana has a slightly lower average award size, its maximum award potential remains competitive.

Final verdict explanation

ScholarshipTop publishes this supplemental “Final verdict explanation” whenever the primary matchup body for 2026 skews thinner than editorial depth standards. The comparison table summarizes about 38 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Hawaii alongside about 33 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Montana using the same ingestion window, so deltas highlight catalog-wide signals rather than courthouse-grade guarantees. Residents, transfers, and commuter students weighing Hawaii campuses against Montana footprints should corroborate every figure with authoritative financial aid disclosures, state higher-ed portals, endowed scholarship riders, reciprocal tuition agreements, Honors supplements, or graduation timelines before staking savings plans.

After reviewing the matchup metrics above, continue with Matches-style browsing, internationally inclusive corridors when visas matter, streamlined application corridors when time is scarce, followed by essay hubs and evergreen resource articles covering drafting workflows, budgeting, appeals, parental contribution conversations, and scholarship renewals tied to academic performance. ScholarshipTop provides these cues as scaffolding; students still validate final award letters directly with campuses and adjust strategy whenever policies evolve during 2026 and afterward.

Top Scholarship Providers in Hawaii

Ranked by number of active scholarships

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Top Scholarship Providers in Montana

Ranked by number of active scholarships

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Scholarship climate by state

Hawaii

Hawaii's scholarship climate is vibrant, with a higher average award size and diverse opportunities for applicants.

Montana

Montana's scholarship landscape, while offering fewer opportunities, still provides valuable funding options with a competitive maximum award.

Public reference data

Cost of living & wages

State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.

Visual comparison

Hawaii

Median household income

$98,864

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$2,433

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

31.43/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$56,320

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 22.35 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.

Public planning context

Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.

CDC SVI band

middle indicator band

ADI band

lower indicator band

SVI counties

5

ADI counties

4

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 5 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 4 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.

Montana

Median household income

$69,565

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$1,129

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

23.91/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$48,740

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 36.77 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.

Public planning context

Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.

CDC SVI band

lower indicator band

ADI band

middle indicator band

SVI counties

56

ADI counties

56

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 56 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 56 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.

Sources: Census ACS, HUD FMR, MIT Living Wage, BLS OEWS, and public reference datasets where available. Rent figures may reflect metro or state averages.

Public safety context uses aggregate public data and is included only as planning context.

Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.

Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.

FAQ

What is the average scholarship amount in Hawaii?
The average scholarship amount in Hawaii is approximately $3,568.
How many scholarships are available in Montana?
Montana has a total of 38 scholarships available for applicants.
Which state has a higher maximum scholarship award?
Montana has a higher maximum scholarship award of $25,000 compared to Hawaii's $20,000.

Sources and official pages

Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.

More guides around this State vs State comparison

Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing Hawaii and Montana.

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