Best Community Colleges in Hawaii 2024

Badge for BEST IN HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGES
By Dr. James Barham
Published:
Updated:

The best community colleges provide an effective springboard into higher education, offering students high-quality two-year degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. The top-rated community colleges in Hawaii offer a broad selection of associate’s degrees, affordable tuition rates, and strong partnerships with public four-year schools so that students can easily transfer their credits into accredited bachelor’s degree programs.

Best Community Colleges in Hawaii

Sort by:
  1. Leeward Community College
  2. Honolulu Community College
  3. Windward Community College
  4. Hawaiʻi Community College
  5. Kapiʻolani Community College
  6. Kauaʻi Community College
  1. Leeward Community College
  2. Honolulu Community College
  3. Kapiʻolani Community College
  4. Windward Community College
  5. Hawaiʻi Community College
  6. Kauaʻi Community College
    1. Leeward Community College 20 to 1
    2. Windward Community College 17 to 1
    3. Honolulu Community College 16 to 1
    4. Kapiʻolani Community College 15 to 1
    5. Hawaiʻi Community College 12 to 1
    6. Kauaʻi Community College 11 to 1
    1. Honolulu Community College $3,144
    2. Hawaiʻi Community College $3,144
    3. Kapiʻolani Community College $3,144
    4. Kauaʻi Community College $3,144
    5. Windward Community College $3,144
    6. Leeward Community College $3,144
      1. Kauaʻi Community College
      2. Kapiʻolani Community College
      3. Hawaiʻi Community College
      4. Windward Community College
      5. Honolulu Community College
      6. Leeward Community College
      1. Kauaʻi Community College
      2. Hawaiʻi Community College
      3. Windward Community College
      4. Kapiʻolani Community College
      5. Honolulu Community College
      6. Leeward Community College
        1. Kauaʻi Community College 11 to 1
        2. Hawaiʻi Community College 12 to 1
        3. Kapiʻolani Community College 15 to 1
        4. Honolulu Community College 16 to 1
        5. Windward Community College 17 to 1
        6. Leeward Community College 20 to 1
        1. Honolulu Community College $3,144
        2. Hawaiʻi Community College $3,144
        3. Kapiʻolani Community College $3,144
        4. Kauaʻi Community College $3,144
        5. Windward Community College $3,144
        6. Leeward Community College $3,144

          Colleges and Universities in Hawaiʻi

          The majority of the universities and colleges in The Aloha State are public institutions, including Hawaiʻi’s largest school, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The nearly 15,000 students who attend this school pay tuition fees around $12,000. Students attending public colleges can choose between a wide range of on campus and online degree programs.

          It’s also worth noting that you can receive in-state tuition discount rates for attending a public college in Hawaii, whether you enroll through a traditional or online degree program.

          Hawaiʻi also offers several private school options, including two which have religious affiliations. While tuition at these private schools varies, from $6,000 at Brigham Young University Hawaiʻi to $26,000 at Hawaiʻi Pacific University, each serves between 2,000-3,000 students.

          Find college admissions consultants in your state.

          Students who attend both brick-and-mortar and online colleges in Hawaii have the option to major in fields like biology, education, history, criminal justice, physics, and many others. However, students who graduate with degrees in the health care field have an extra advantage. Hawaiʻi offers a student loan forgiveness-based financial aid program for health care workers who work at designated, high-need locations within the state for at least two years.

          So, even though Hawaiʻi comes in just above the national average for tuition costs, if you are considering a career in health care, this may be the place for you.

          Some dream of vacationing in paradise - but why not take it a step further and live there? Students attending school in Hawaiʻi won’t have to say aloha, or goodbye, to the beautiful white sand beaches, perfect waves, and tropical drinks. Both traditional and online students can enroll in one of Hawaiʻi’s 15 higher education institutes and live their best life in these picturesque island communities.

          For more information on obtaining your degree in Hawaiʻi, explore some of the top programs and schools this state has to offer.


          What are Hawaiʻi’s Colleges & Universities?

          Hawaiʻi’s Best Overall

          Hawaii's Best Community Colleges Badge
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          We’ve identified 6 community colleges in Hawaii. The following list shows the best community colleges and primarily associate degree granting colleges in Hawaii.

          If you’re interested in an online associate degree, visit our best online associate degrees in Hawaii page.

          Best Community Colleges in Hawaii

          1. #1

            Leeward Community College

            Pearl City , HI
            #3 Best Online Associate Degrees in Hawaii 2024 #16 Best Online Associate in Accounting

            Tuition + fees

            $3K

            Graduation

            28%

            Student body

            10K

            Career Outlook for degree at Leeward Community College

            Cost of Degree: $3,214
            Starting Salary: $37,500
            What is Leeward Community College known for?

            Leeward Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

            Most Influential Alumni

            Compare school
          2. #2

            Honolulu Community College

            Honolulu , HI

            Tuition + fees

            $3K

            Graduation

            23%

            Student body

            5K

            Career Outlook for degree at Honolulu Community College

            Cost of Degree: $3,174
            Starting Salary: $40,600
            What is Honolulu Community College known for?

            Honolulu Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

            Compare school
          3. #3

            Windward Community College

            Kaneohe , HI

            Tuition + fees

            $3K

            Graduation

            25%

            Student body

            4K

            Career Outlook for degree at Windward Community College

            Cost of Degree: $3,194
            Starting Salary: $32,400
            What is Windward Community College known for?
            Compare school
          4. #4

            Hawaiʻi Community College

            Hilo , HI
            #4 Best Online Associate Degrees in Hawaii 2024

            Tuition + fees

            $3K

            Graduation

            31%

            Student body

            3K

            Career Outlook for degree at Hawaiʻi Community College

            Cost of Degree: $3,204
            Expenses: $13,502
            Starting Salary: $30,300
            Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
            Paid back at 15% of annual salary
            What is Hawaiʻi Community College known for?

            Hawaiʻi Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

            Compare school
          5. #5

            Kapiʻolani Community College

            Honolulu , HI
            #5 Best Online Associate Degrees in Hawaii 2024

            Tuition + fees

            $3K

            Graduation

            24%

            Student body

            9K

            Career Outlook for degree at Kapiʻolani Community College

            Cost of Degree: $3,284
            Starting Salary: $43,200
            What is Kapiʻolani Community College known for?

            Kapiʻolani Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

            Compare school
          7. #6

            Kauaʻi Community College

            Lihue , HI
            #6 Best Online Associate Degrees in Hawaii 2024

            Tuition + fees

            $3K

            Graduation

            37%

            Student body

            2K

            Career Outlook for degree at Kauaʻi Community College

            Cost of Degree: $3,252
            Starting Salary: $40,200
            What is Kauaʻi Community College known for?

            Kauaʻi Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

            Compare school
          2021 Ranking Archive

          Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

          1. Windward Community College
          2. Honolulu Community College
          3. Leeward Community College
          4. Kapiʻolani Community College
          5. Kauaʻi Community College
          6. Hawaiʻi Community College
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