by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the college options in Hawaii, narrowing things down is no easy task. This list ranks **10** colleges by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual reviewed 10 colleges across over 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Not every student is looking for the same thing. Drill down by location and field of study, or explore other rankings below. Or choose a degree level:
Ready to build your own comparison? We built a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter most to you.
Learn more about these excellent colleges below:
Leading the list is University Of Hawaii At Manoa, our #1 college in Hawaii. Set in Honolulu, HI, University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a public institution. About 64% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $12,186, with out-of-state students paying around $34,218. Early-career graduates earn a median of $48,181. Typical student debt is $20,577.
Out of the 10 colleges in Hawaii in this year's ranking, Hawaii Pacific University landed the #2 spot. This private not-for-profit school is set in Honolulu, HI. About 35% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $34,392. Graduates go on to earn a median of $49,182 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $25,385.
You'll be in good company at Kapiolani Community College, which ranked #3 this year. This public school is set in Honolulu, HI. In-state tuition and fees average $3,284, while out-of-state students pay about $8,420. Early-career graduates earn a median of $48,210. Kapiolani Community College students take on a median of $14,738 in debt.
The strong outcomes at University Of Hawaii West Oahu earned it the #4 place in Hawaii. University Of Hawaii West Oahu is a public school based in Kapolei, HI. University Of Hawaii West Oahu posts a six-year graduation rate of 50%. In-state tuition and fees average $7,584, while out-of-state students pay about $20,544. Median early-career earnings reach $41,082. Typical student debt is $19,957.
Brigham Young University Hawaii came in at #5 on this year's Best Colleges ranking in Hawaii. This private not-for-profit school is set in Laie, HI. Roughly 50% of students complete a degree within six years here. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,630. Median early-career earnings reach $41,461.
Chaminade University Of Honolulu ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Located in Honolulu, HI, Chaminade University Of Honolulu is a private not-for-profit institution. Chaminade University Of Honolulu graduates 65% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $30,874. Median early-career earnings reach $48,383. Chaminade University Of Honolulu students take on a median of $25,096 in debt.
Honolulu Community College landed the #7 spot in Hawaii this year. This public school is set in Honolulu, HI. In-state tuition and fees average $3,174, with out-of-state students paying around $8,310. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $59,006. Graduates carry a median of $10,868 in student loans.
Leeward Community College did well this year, earning the #8 position. This public school is set in Pearl City, HI. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,214, compared with $8,350 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $21,784 early in their careers. Graduates carry a median of $10,776 in student loans.
University Of Hawaii At Hilo ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. University Of Hawaii At Hilo is a public school based in Hilo, HI. University Of Hawaii At Hilo graduates 48% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,838, while out-of-state students pay about $20,798. Early-career graduates earn a median of $48,141. The median student debt is $22,615.
Kauai Community College landed the #10 spot in Hawaii this year. Based in Lihue, HI, Kauai Community College is a public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,252, with out-of-state students paying around $8,388. Graduates go on to earn a median of $23,210 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $5,500.
University Of Hawaii Maui College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. University Of Hawaii Maui College is a public school based in Kahului, HI. Roughly 8% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $3,284 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,420. University Of Hawaii Maui College graduates report median early-career earnings of $51,654. Typical student debt is $11,824.
Windward Community College came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Located in Kaneohe, HI, Windward Community College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $3,194, compared with $8,330 for out-of-state students. Windward Community College graduates report median early-career earnings of $32,654. Students borrow a median of $10,930 to complete a degree here.
Hawaii Community College came in at #13 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Hilo, HI. In-state tuition and fees run about $3,204, while out-of-state students pay about $8,340. Median early-career earnings reach $37,760. The median student debt is $13,170.
Hawaii Medical College did well this year, earning the #14 position. Hawaii Medical College is a private for-profit school based in Honolulu, HI. In-state tuition and fees average $25,927. Graduates go on to earn a median of $34,579 early in their careers. Graduates carry a median of $12,782 in student loans.
Hawaii Institute Of Hair Design came in at #15 in this year's ranking. Located in Honolulu, HI, Hawaii Institute Of Hair Design is a private for-profit institution. Hawaii Institute Of Hair Design graduates report median early-career earnings of $16,699. The median student debt is $5,838.
Ibs School Of Cosmetology And Massage did well this year, earning the #16 position. Ibs School Of Cosmetology And Massage is a private for-profit school based in Kahului, HI.
University Of Phoenix Hawaii Campus came in at #17 in this year's ranking. This private for-profit school is set in Kapolei, HI. University Of Phoenix Hawaii Campus graduates report median early-career earnings of $56,099. The median student debt is $37,546.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Colleges are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
See our data sources and methodologies.