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# Best Colleges in Hawaii (2026)

Updated October 1, 2026

Best Colleges in Hawaii ranks 5 four-year institutions on Azimuth's overall score for Hawaii. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for Hawaii, highest first.

The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. [University of Hawaii at Manoa](/school/university-of-hawaii-at-manoa/majors/) ranks 1st on this list and reports $61,903 in median earnings for its graduates four years after completing.

Across the five schools, median earnings range from $61,903 at the top to $49,763 at University of Hawaii at Hilo.

The list includes 3 public and 2 private nonprofit institutions. University of Hawaii at Manoa ranks 258th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

University of Hawaii-West Oahu posts the lowest average net price at $10,327, while University of Hawaii-West Oahu admits 95% of applicants, the highest admission rate on the page.

## The ranked list

5 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | University of Hawaii at Manoa · Honolulu, HI | $61,903 | $15,664 | $10,675 | 86.6% |
|  | [University of Hawaii at Manoa](/school/university-of-hawaii-at-manoa/majors/) ranks 1st on this list and reports [median earnings of $61,903](/school/university-of-hawaii-at-manoa/outcomes/) for its graduates four years after completing. |
| 2 | University of Hawaii-West Oahu · Kapolei, HI | $53,969 | $10,327 | $7,674 | 95.3% |
|  | With an average net price of $10,327, University of Hawaii-West Oahu admits 95% of applicants and graduates 50% of its students within six years. |
| 3 | University of Hawaii at Hilo · Hilo, HI | $49,763 | $11,856 | $8,983 | 60.6% |
|  | University of Hawaii at Hilo, a public university in Hilo, has a six-year completion rate of 48% and an average net price of $8,983 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 4 | Chaminade University of Honolulu · Honolulu, HI | $59,437 | $28,856 | $31,589 | 91.4% |
|  | Chaminade University of Honolulu ranks 1101st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its graduates across all fields earn a median of $59,437 four years after completing. |
| 5 | Hawaii Pacific University · Honolulu, HI | $58,128 | $29,657 | $25,758 | 85.9% |
|  | Graduates of Hawaii Pacific University earn a median of $58,128 four years after completing, and the university reports an admission rate of 86%. |

## How this list is ordered

Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for Hawaii, highest first. The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on [Azimuth's methodology page](/methodology/#composite). The earnings figures cited for each school are the median earnings of its federally aided graduates across all fields, measured four years after completing, among those working and not enrolled. The list does not adjust for cost or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. Of the 5 schools on the page, 3 are public and 2 are private.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Colleges for Social Mobility in Hawaii](/rankings/best-colleges-for-social-mobility-in-hawaii/)