2026 Best Nursing Schools in Hawaii
Nursing degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools to find the best for nursing students.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Nursing in Hawaii
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall nursing education in Hawaii.
Top Schools in Nursing
No school ranked higher than University Of Hawaii At Manoa this year for nursing. University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a very large public school located in the city of Honolulu. The six-year graduation rate is 64%. University Of Hawaii At Manoa awarded about 182 nursing degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their nursing degree from University Of Hawaii At Manoa earn around $106,751 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,308.
More information about a degree in nursing from University Of Hawaii At Manoa
Students looking for a strong nursing program will find one at Hawaii Pacific University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Honolulu, Hawaii Pacific University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. About 35% of students finish within six years. Hawaii Pacific University awarded about 171 nursing degrees in the most recent data year. Nursing graduates of Hawaii Pacific University earn a median of $75,892 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete this degree.
Read more about the nursing program at Hawaii Pacific University
A rank of #3 makes Kauai Community College one of the top schools for nursing. Located in the rural area of Lihue, Kauai Community College is a small public university. Kauai Community College awarded about 17 nursing degrees in the most recent data year. Nursing graduates of Kauai Community College earn a median of $23,210 early in their careers. Kauai Community College graduates carry a median of $5,500 in student loans.
Get the full nursing details for Kauai Community College
University Of Hawaii Maui College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in nursing, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Kahului, University Of Hawaii Maui College is a mid-sized public university. About 8% of students finish within six years. About 38 nursing degrees were awarded at University Of Hawaii Maui College in the most recent year. Graduates of the nursing program make about $102,390 in their early career. University Of Hawaii Maui College graduates carry a median of $11,577 in student loans.
See the full nursing program report for University Of Hawaii Maui College
A rank of #5 makes Kapiolani Community College one of the top schools for nursing. Located in the city of Honolulu, Kapiolani Community College is a moderately-sized public university. There were roughly 40 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Kapiolani Community College in the most recent data year. Nursing graduates of Kapiolani Community College earn a median of $48,210 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $16,168 to complete this degree.
See the full nursing program report for Kapiolani Community College
University Of Hawaii At Hilo landed the #6 spot for nursing this year. Located in the town of Hilo, University Of Hawaii At Hilo is a mid-sized public university. Roughly 48% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 44 nursing degrees were awarded at University Of Hawaii At Hilo in the most recent year. Nursing graduates of University Of Hawaii At Hilo earn a median of $102,569 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $26,875.
Get the full nursing details for University Of Hawaii At Hilo
Chaminade University Of Honolulu came in at #7 for nursing this year. This mid-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Honolulu. Roughly 65% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 101 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Chaminade University Of Honolulu in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, nursing degree recipients from Chaminade University Of Honolulu generally make around $81,125. Chaminade University Of Honolulu graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans.
More information about a degree in nursing from Chaminade University Of Honolulu
Hawaii Community College earned the #8 position for nursing this year. This mid-sized public university is located in the town of Hilo. Hawaii Community College awarded about 28 nursing degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the nursing program make about $69,990 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $17,174.
Read more about the nursing program at Hawaii Community College
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 8 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
