The best colleges in Hawaii for 2027 are the University of Hawaii at West Oahu, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and the University of Hawaii at Hilo. If you want an exciting, different college experience, Hawaii offers a lot, from a major research university to small private schools with deep island roots.

Hawaii’s best colleges offer students diverse educational options, a mild climate, and a strong sense of place. This list covers nine choices, and you can compare them with the highest-rated colleges nationwide. Read the University Magazine rankings methodology and see our university rankings for context.

The Best Colleges In Hawaii 2027

1. University of Hawaii – West Oahu

The University of Hawaii – West Oahu (UHWO) sits in Kapolei, on about 500 acres of former sugarcane land. It opened in January 1976 as West Oahu College and took its current name in 1989. It is a four-year school only, with about 3,200 students in fall 2018, and it is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

It offers bachelor’s degrees in liberal arts and professional studies, with more than 40 concentrations. It highlights creative media, cybersecurity, facilities management, and sustainable community food systems. Classes meet in person and online, which helps working adults and parents. The mascot is the pueo, a Hawaiian owl, and sports are intramural only, with no varsity teams.

2. University of Hawaii at Manoa

The University of Hawaii at Manoa is the flagship of the University of Hawaii system and sits on 320 acres in Honolulu. It started in 1907 as the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts and took the university name in 1919. More than 20,000 students enrolled in fall 2024, and it is an R1 research university.

Seventeen colleges and schools offer over 200 degree programs, including engineering, a medical school, and a law school. Engineering applicants can also browse our best colleges for aerospace engineering. It is a land-grant school with sea-grant, space-grant, and sun-grant status. The Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine are the state’s only NCAA Division I teams. The system also includes UH Maui College.

3. University of Hawaii at Hilo

The University of Hawaii at Hilo is a public university on the Big Island. It began in 1945 as the Hilo Center and became a university campus in 1970. About 3,000 students attend, most from Hawaii, and the 115-acre campus has remained in its current location since 1955.

Six colleges cover agriculture and natural resources, arts and sciences, business, Hawaiian language, pharmacy, and natural and health sciences. Its Hawaiian language master’s program was the first in the country to focus on an indigenous language. Astronomy, marine science, and volcanology are also strengths, which makes sense next to Mauna Kea and Kilauea. The Vulcans compete in NCAA Division II in the Pacific West Conference.

4. Chaminade University of Honolulu

Chaminade University of Honolulu is a Catholic university run by the Marianists, set in Honolulu’s Kaimuki neighbourhood at the base of St. Louis Heights. It opened in 1955 as St. Louis Junior College, became a four-year school in 1957, and took the Chaminade name in 1977.

About 2,400 students enroll, roughly 1,600 of them undergraduates. The university offers 40-day majors, 36 minors, and 19 online degrees across the colleges of arts and sciences, business, education, and nursing and health professions. The WASC Senior College and University Commission accredits it. The Silverswords compete in NCAA Division II in the Pacific West Conference. Small classes are the main selling point.

5. Brigham Young University-Hawaii

Brigham Young University-Hawaii is a private school owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Laie on Oahu’s north shore, about 35 miles from Honolulu. Classes began in September 1955 as the Church College of Hawaii. It took its current name in 1974 and became a separate institution in 2004.

The 100-acre campus enrolled 2,836 students in fall 2023, with a 16-to-1 student-faculty ratio. It offers 37 bachelor’s programs, organized into seven faculty units. Founded in 1963, the Polynesian Cultural Center sits just east of campus and has long provided jobs for students. The school phased out its athletics program after the 2017 spring season.

6. Hawai‘i Pacific University

Hawai‘i Pacific University (HPU) is a private university whose main campus sits downtown in Honolulu, near Aloha Tower Marketplace. It was chartered in 1965 as Hawaii Pacific College and became a university in 1990. The Hawaii Loa campus in Kaneohe closed in summer 2024.

About 5,000 students enroll across five colleges: business, liberal arts, health sciences, natural and computational sciences, and professional studies. Its nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. HPU owns the Oceanic Institute, a 56-acre aquaculture research site at Makapuu Point, and runs military programs at bases on Oahu. The Sharks compete in NCAA Division II.

7. Pacific Rim Christian University

Pacific Rim Christian University (PRCU) is a small Christian school in Honolulu. It traces back to a church planting school started at New Hope Christian Fellowship, which became Pacific Rim Bible Institute in 1998. From 2011 to 2015, it served as the Hawaii campus of New Hope Christian College in Oregon, then became its own university in 2015.

The Association for Biblical Higher Education accredits it to award certificates and degrees at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s levels. It also runs the John P.C. Makuakane Institute for Christian Leadership on the Island of Hawaii, which trains Native Hawaiian pastors. Students who want a faith-centred education in a small setting will find the strongest fit here.

8. University of Phoenix – Hawaii

The University of Phoenix is a private for-profit university founded in 1976 and based in Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix Education Partners owns it, and it went public on the NYSE in 2025. The Higher Learning Commission has accredited it since 1978, and it enrolled about 78,900 students in 2024.

Online learning has been its model since 1989, so students in Hawaii can take courses without visiting a campus. Programs run from certificates and associate degrees through doctorates, including business, education, nursing, health administration, and counselling. It has closed nearly all of its physical campuses, and only the Phoenix headquarters still accepts new in-person students. That flexibility suits adults who work full time.

9. University of Hawaii – West Oahu Distance Education

UH West Oahu’s distance program lets students finish a bachelor’s degree online. In fall 2017, 29 percent of UHWO students took only distance courses, and 38 percent took at least one. It is aimed at working adults and students who cannot easily get to Kapolei.

Students at UH community colleges on the neighbour islands can also earn a four-year degree online through UHWO, with three degrees and 12 concentrations available. That makes it a practical way to stay in Maui, Kauai, or the Big Island and still finish a University of Hawaii degree. For more options, see our guide to the best online colleges in Hawaii.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best colleges in Hawaii in 2027?

The University of Hawaii – West Oahu, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and the University of Hawaii at Hilo lead this University Magazine list for 2027, followed by Chaminade University of Honolulu and Brigham Young University-Hawaii.

What is the largest university in Hawaii?

The University of Hawaii at Manoa is the largest, with more than 20,000 students in fall 2024.

Which Hawaii college has NCAA Division I sports?

The University of Hawaii at Manoa is the only Hawaii school in NCAA Division I. Chaminade, Hawaii Pacific, and UH Hilo compete in Division II.

Are there private colleges in Hawaii?

Yes. Chaminade University of Honolulu is Catholic, Brigham Young University-Hawaii is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Pacific Rim Christian University is a Christian school, and Hawaii Pacific University is a private non-sectarian university.

Can I earn a degree online in Hawaii?

Yes. UH West Oahu offers distance education, Chaminade lists 19 online degrees, and the University of Phoenix is an online-focused university.

Top 9 Best Colleges in Hawaii 2027: Ranked List

1. University of Hawaii – West Oahu
2. University of Hawaii at Manoa
3. University of Hawaii at Hilo
4. Chaminade University of Honolulu
5. Brigham Young University-Hawaii
6. Hawai‘i Pacific University
7. Pacific Rim Christian University
8. University of Phoenix – Hawaii
9. University of Hawaii – West Oahu Distance Education

Read more about UM World University Rankings