US CollegesColleges in Hawaii: cost, admission and results
15 degree-granting colleges and universities in Hawaii, with the admission rate, net price, graduation rate and earnings of each. The largest are University of Hawaii at Manoa (15,029 undergraduates), Kapiolani Community College (3,910 undergraduates), Leeward Community College (3,438 undergraduates).
Hawaii at a glance
- Colleges on this site
- 15
- Public / private nonprofit / for-profit
- 9 / 5 / 1
- Median in-state tuition and fees
- $7,993
- Median net price a year
- $8,514
- Median admission rate
- 86%
- Median graduation rate
- 40%
- Median earnings 10 years on
- $51,712
No college in this list matches.
| College | Admission rate | Net price a year | Graduation rate | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigham Young University-HawaiiLaie, HI · Private nonprofit | 47% | $17,608 | 49% | $57,487 |
| Chaminade University of HonoluluHonolulu, HI · Private nonprofit | 91% | $24,793 | 53% | $56,938 |
| Hawaii Community CollegeHilo, HI · Public | not reported | $8,514 | 35% | $40,335 |
| Hawaii Pacific UniversityHonolulu, HI · Private nonprofit | 86% | $34,758 | 43% | $64,656 |
| Hawaii Tokai International CollegeKapolei, HI · Private nonprofit | 78% | not reported | 75% | not reported |
| Honolulu Community CollegeHonolulu, HI · Public | not reported | $8,377 | 33% | $50,539 |
| Institute of Clinical Acupuncture & Oriental MedicineHonolulu, HI · Private for-profit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Kapiolani Community CollegeHonolulu, HI · Public | not reported | $8,406 | 25% | $51,907 |
| Leeward Community CollegePearl City, HI · Public | not reported | $7,157 | 33% | $45,309 |
| Pacific Rim Christian UniversityHonolulu, HI · Private nonprofit | not reported | $20,718 | 40% | $51,712 |
| University of Hawaii Maui CollegeKahului, HI · Public | not reported | $5,859 | 22% | $43,340 |
| University of Hawaii at HiloHilo, HI · Public | 61% | $10,599 | 40% | $51,003 |
| University of Hawaii at ManoaHonolulu, HI · Public | 87% | $11,122 | 62% | $62,422 |
| University of Hawaii-West OahuKapolei, HI · Public | 95% | $8,144 | 48% | $56,319 |
| Windward Community CollegeKaneohe, HI · Public | not reported | $6,802 | 29% | $42,976 |
"Not reported" means the Department of Education has no figure, often because the college is small, new, or does not take first-time students. Medians are the middle value of the colleges listed here.
The colleges of Hawaii in brief
Of the 15 colleges listed for Hawaii, 9 are public, 5 are private nonprofit and 1 is private for-profit. By level, 7 mainly award bachelor's degrees, 7 mainly award two-year associate degrees and 1 mainly awards graduate degrees. Together they teach about 40,464 undergraduates, 82% of them at public colleges. The three largest, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kapiolani Community College and Leeward Community College, hold 55% of the total, and the middle-sized college has 2,028 undergraduates. The towns with the most colleges are Honolulu (7), Hilo (2) and Kapolei (2).
What college costs in Hawaii
At the public colleges, the median published tuition and fees are $3,284 a year for students from Hawaii and $8,420 for students from elsewhere. At the private nonprofit colleges the median is $16,560. Published prices are not what most families pay. Counting colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the lowest average net price after grants is at University of Hawaii Maui College ($5,859) and Windward Community College ($6,802) and the highest at Hawaii Pacific University ($34,758) and Chaminade University of Honolulu ($24,793). The median net price across the state, $8,514, is 51% below the national median of $17,357.
Getting in
7 of the 15 colleges report an admission rate. The hardest to get into are Brigham Young University-Hawaii (47% admitted), University of Hawaii at Hilo (61% admitted) and Hawaii Tokai International College (78% admitted). 5 of them admit at least seven applicants in ten. 7 colleges have an open admission policy and report no rate: they do not turn applicants away on grades or test scores.
Finishing and earning
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the highest share of students finishing their course is at University of Hawaii at Manoa (62%), Chaminade University of Honolulu (53%) and Brigham Young University-Hawaii (49%). The median graduation rate of the state's colleges is 40%, against 49% for the country. Ten years after starting, former students with federal aid earn the most at Hawaii Pacific University ($64,656), University of Hawaii at Manoa ($62,422) and Brigham Young University-Hawaii ($57,487). The state median for that measure is $51,712, about the same as the national $53,132. Students who finish leave with a median federal loan debt of $11,265 (national median $19,994). Earnings follow the subjects a college teaches as much as its quality, so compare like with like.
Questions about colleges in Hawaii
How many colleges are there in Hawaii?
This site lists 15 open, degree-granting colleges and universities in Hawaii, out of 3,161 on the whole site. Schools that mainly give short certificates are not counted.
What is the largest college in Hawaii?
University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu, with about 15,029 undergraduate students.
Which college in Hawaii has the lowest net price?
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, University of Hawaii Maui College: students with federal aid paid an average of $5,859 a year after grants. Students from other states or countries usually pay more.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.