Best Colleges in Hawaii

Lorraine Mumby
By
Updated on July 6, 2023
Learn more about our editorial process
We’ve ranked the best colleges in Hawaii to help you find a school that matches with your academic and career interests.

Hawaii’s beaches and island lifestyle attract people from around the world, but colleges in Hawaii have given students another reason to make the trip. Featuring more than two dozen colleges and universities, including some of the top schools in the country, Hawaii offers a blend of public and private two-year and four-year institutions.

Hawaii has made great strides toward improving educational outcomes in the state, with 46% of adults holding a college degree as of 2019 — approaching the state’s goal of 55% by 2025. Given its relatively small size, Hawaii residents and visiting students may not have the most schools to choose from, but there are several high-quality options. We ranked the best colleges in Hawaii to help degree-seekers find a school and program that fits their needs.

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Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

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Best Accredited Colleges in Hawaii

#1 Best Colleges in Hawaii

University of Hawaii-West Oahu

  • Location-markerKapolei, HI
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
  • In-State$7,344
  • Out-of-state$20,304
Average Graduate Tuition
  • In-StateN/A
  • Out-of-stateN/A
  • Retention Rate69%
  • Acceptance Rate96%
  • Students Enrolled2,913
  • Institution TypePublic
  • Percent Online Enrollment96%
  • AccreditationYes
#2 Best Colleges in Hawaii

University of Hawaii at Manoa

  • Location-markerHonolulu, HI
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
  • In-State$11,304
  • Out-of-state$33,336
Average Graduate Tuition
  • In-State$15,600
  • Out-of-state$33,648
  • Retention Rate79%
  • Acceptance Rate73%
  • Students Enrolled19,074
  • Institution TypePublic
  • Percent Online Enrollment14%
  • AccreditationYes
#3 Best Colleges in Hawaii

Chaminade University of Honolulu

  • Location-markerHonolulu, HI
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
  • In-State$28,430
  • Out-of-state$28,430
Average Graduate Tuition
  • In-State$25,200
  • Out-of-state$25,200
  • Retention Rate71%
  • Acceptance Rate93%
  • Students Enrolled1,892
  • Institution TypePrivate
  • Percent Online Enrollment67%
  • AccreditationYes
#4 Best Colleges in Hawaii

University of Hawaii at Hilo

  • Location-markerHilo, HI
  • 4 year
  • Campus
Average Undergrad Tuition
  • In-State$7,344
  • Out-of-state$20,304
Average Graduate Tuition
  • In-State$11,736
  • Out-of-state$26,568
  • Retention Rate68%
  • Acceptance Rate84%
  • Students Enrolled2,977
  • Institution TypePublic
  • Percent Online Enrollment83%
  • AccreditationYes

badge-check How We Rank Schools

At BestColleges, we believe a college education is one of the most important investments you can make. We help you navigate the college selection process by offering transparent, inclusive, and relevant school rankings.

We use datasets from trusted sources like the National Center for Education Statistics to inform the data for these schools and our methodologies. This ranking is from 2021. To learn more, check out our full ranking methodologies.

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