Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Research Universities in Hawaii 2026

Q: Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Badge for BEST IN HAWAII RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES

By Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Chloe Dembski

Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Interested in attending a STEM school in Hawaii? Our ranking of top research universities for bachelor’s degrees displays schools that will best prepare you for STEM careers.

Key Takeaways

Hawaii’s top research universities attract substantial research funding, supporting projects in fields like astronomy, ocean sciences, energy, and health sciences. This funding allows students to participate in well-supported, innovative research with global impact.
Many research universities in Hawaii offer programs that encourage undergraduate students to engage in research early, providing mentorship, funding, and presentation opportunities to help students develop professional skills and leadership qualities.
Hawaii’s research universities integrate local culture and environment into their studies, with programs focused on indigenous language preservation, environmental sustainability, and marine sciences, providing students with a unique, community-centered educational experience.

Table of Contents

10 Best Research Universities in Hawaii in 2026

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo

Research universities are the right fit for students aiming to engage deeply in STEM fields and pursue doctoral study. They prioritize sustained faculty-led inquiry, laboratory and field resources, and formal graduate programs—features that expand student research opportunities, funding access, and pathways to academic or industry careers. We identify 2 research universities in Hawaii; to appear in this list institutions must be fully accredited and offer doctoral-degree programs across STEM disciplines. For a direct view of the institutions considered, see our custom search for research universities in Hawaii.

Best Research Universities in Hawaii

Last Year’s Ranking:
1. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
2. University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
#1
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Honolulu , HI
#1 Best Public Colleges in Hawaii 2024 #1 Most Affordable Colleges in Hawaii 2025 #1 Best Colleges in Hawaii 2025 #1 Best Grad Schools in Hawaii 2025
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
62%
Student body
22K
Median SAT/ACT
1180/21
Career Outlook for degree at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Cost of Degree: $12,186
Expenses: $20,145
Starting Salary: $51,800
Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa known for?

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Earth Sciences
Anthropology
Political Science
Biology
Physics
Law
Communications
Education
Sociology
Philosophy

Most Influential Alumni

Abbas Milani
Rudolph Rummel
Robert Ballard
Michael Savage
Arfa Sayeda Zehra
Janet Mock
Margie Holmes
Marc Miyake
Daniel Inouye
Arsenio Balisacan
Neil Abercrombie
Tammy Duckworth
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Online Degrees
BA in Economics

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Interdisciplinary Studies

Degree Concentrations
Human Relations In Organizations
Social Sciences Of Oceans

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BSW in Social Work

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Women'S, Gender, And Sexuality Studies

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
Compare school
#2
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
Hilo , HI
#2 Best Public Colleges in Hawaii 2024 #2 Most Affordable Colleges in Hawaii 2025 #2 Best Grad Schools in Hawaii 2025 #3 Best Colleges in Hawaii 2025
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
42%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1080/18
Career Outlook for degree at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
Cost of Degree: $7,838
Expenses: $13,584
Starting Salary: $41,800
Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
Paid back at 15% of annual salary
What is University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo known for?

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Earth Sciences
Physics
Psychology
Communications
Mathematics
Anthropology
Biology
Chemistry
Political Science
Literature

Most Influential Alumni

Sarah Palin
Tarisi Vunidilo
Alex Cabagnot
Martin B. Dickman
Ted V. Shaneyfelt
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s Online Degrees
BSN in Nursing Rn To Bsn

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
Compare school

Build your own college rankings

Find the Best Research Universities in Hawaii for Your Area of Interest

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines.

Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students.

Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).

Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers.

Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available.

Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online.

Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands.

Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.

Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving.

If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.

The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors.

Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

2021 Ranking Archive

Check out our directory of research universities throughout the U.S. for a look at the top research institutions in every state.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Research Universities in Hawaii 2026

Key Takeaways

10 Best Research Universities in Hawaii in 2026

Best Research Universities in Hawaii

Last Year’s Ranking:

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Career Outlook for degree at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Most Influential Alumni

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo

Career Outlook for degree at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo

Most Influential Alumni

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s Online Degrees

Find the Best Research Universities in Hawaii for Your Area of Interest