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Hawaii Colleges

Find the Hawaiian Islands’ best college programs! We help you sort Hawaii colleges to find your best fit. Compare Hawaii colleges by total price, admission rates and other important stats.

Find the Best Colleges in Hawaii

Hawaii has relatively few colleges, so researching all the in-state options won’t take you long. Most college students in Hawaii are enrolled in the University of Hawaii System. The UH System includes a main research university in Manoa, college campuses across six islands, and three community colleges. Several accredited private colleges are on the islands too. Three are religious (one is a seminary) and two are secular.

Ready to fly? Hawaii residents can attend certain out-of-state schools at just 1.5 times the in-state price. You can choose from more than 150 colleges in California, Oregon and other states in the Western Undergraduate Exchange. The tuition discounts also apply for online degree programs.

A Look at Hawaii Colleges & Universities

  • Distance learning is big in Hawaii. The University of Hawaii alone offers dozens of online degree programs ranging from accounting to nursing, psychology and special education. Private colleges in Hawaii have online programs too, plus students can of course study through programs delivered from the mainland US.
  • Public four-year colleges are relatively affordable for Hawaii residents. Depending on the school, tuition ranges from about $3500 to $5500/year for in-state students. For out-of-state students Hawaii college tuition can top $15,000/year.
  • Hawaii community college programs are available online and on campus. If you stay at home instead of moving to campus housing, then full-time schooling can cost less than $3000/year. About 76 percent of Hawaii community college students receive financial aid for school.
  • Out-of-state colleges are made cheaper through the Western Undergraduate Exchange. Residents of Hawaii, Alaska and other western states can attend many of each other’s public colleges and universities at reduced costs. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is also a participant in the student exchange.

Build your list of top Hawaii college programs with our free database!

Rank School Name City State Net Cost School Level Retention Rate Distance Learning
1

Argosy University-Hawaii

Honolulu

HI

N/A

4 year

75%

Yes

2

Babel University

Honolulu

HI

N/A

4 year

N/A

Yes

3

Brigham Young University-Hawaii

Laie

HI

N/A

4 year

60.94%

Yes

4

Chaminade University of Honolulu

Honolulu

HI

N/A

4 year

76.43%

Yes

5

Hawaii Community College

Hilo

HI

$8,122

2 year

51.33%

Yes

6

Hawaii Institute of Hair Design

Honolulu

HI

N/A

Vocational

77.78%

No

7

Hawaii Medical College

Honolulu

HI

N/A

2 year

100%

No

8

Hawaii Pacific University

Honolulu

HI

N/A

4 year

69.96%

Yes

9

Heald College-Honolulu

Honolulu

HI

N/A

2 year

48.97%

Yes

10

Honolulu Community College

Honolulu

HI

$6,551

2 year

53.36%

Yes

11

Institute of Clinical Acupuncture & Oriental Med

Honolulu

HI

N/A

4 year

N/A

No

12

Kapiolani Community College

Honolulu

HI

$4,474

2 year

64.44%

Yes

13

Kauai Community College

Lihue

HI

$6,322

2 year

59.24%

Yes

14

Leeward Community College

Pearl City

HI

$2,502

2 year

61.22%

Yes

15

Mauna Loa Helicopters

Kailua Kona

HI

N/A

Vocational

N/A

No

16

Med-Assist School of Hawaii Inc

Honolulu

HI

N/A

Vocational

83.33%

No

17

New Hope Christian College-Honolulu

Honolulu

HI

N/A

4 year

71.43%

No

18

Paul Mitchell the School-Honolulu

Honolulu

HI

N/A

2 year

83.33%

No

19

Remington College-Honolulu Campus

Honolulu

HI

N/A

4 year

60%

No

20

Travel Institute of the Pacific

Honolulu

HI

N/A

Vocational

89.29%

No

21

University of Hawaii at Hilo

Hilo

HI

$10,229

4 year

66.12%

Yes

22

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Honolulu

HI

$12,163

4 year

78.94%

Yes

23

University of Hawaii Maui College

Kahului

HI

$7,063

4 year

N/A

Yes

24

University of Hawaii System Office

Honolulu

HI

N/A

4 year

N/A

No

25

University of Hawaii-West Oahu

Kapolei

HI

$7,820

4 year

61.21%

Yes

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About Hawaii: Fun Facts & Statistics

  • Hawaii’s economy relies on three industries with special appeal to college students: tourism, coffee and education. Surfing, hiking and snorkeling can fill your study breaks. Kona coffee can snap you back to attention.
  • The University of Hawaii awards more than 11,000 degrees and certificates every year. About 4000 are associate degrees and 4000 are bachelor degrees. The remainder are graduate degrees and professional degrees. The most popular college major in Hawaii is business.
  • The islands of Hawaii are the peaks of the world’s tallest mountains. The oldest is Kauai, which was formed an estimated 6 million years ago. The mountains stretch for about 1500 miles, making Hawaii the widest state after Alaska. Despite its expanse though, the state only has four counties. Technically Honolulu is the largest county in the world.
  • Each Hawaiian island has its own character. Kauai, for example, has a rather low population and is mostly rural. Most Hawaii colleges are on the densely packed island of Oahu. About 1 million people live on Oahu. That’s more than all the people in Alaska.
  • Hawaii’s special ecosystems are mostly comprised of plants and animals that aren’t found anywhere else on Earth. This state is a special place for human life too; Hawaii has the longest life expectancies for men and women among all US states.

Ready to begin your education in Hawaii? Find the college that best suits you in Hawaii with our easy-to-use search tool.