The complete college guide for Hawaii families
Flagship publics, state scholarships, reciprocity programs, in-state vs out-of-state cost math, community colleges, and local liberal arts colleges — all in one place, free.
Hawaii in one paragraph
Hawaii's state financial aid programs are administered through the University of Hawaii system. The B Plus Scholarship rewards students with strong GPAs, and the Hawaii State Incentive Grant provides need-based aid. The state's aid programs are relatively modest, reflecting the smaller scale of the state's higher education system.
In-state flagship publics
The largest public universities in Hawaii by undergraduate enrollment. In-state tuition is the headline price; out-of-state numbers show what your kid would pay attending a public flagship in another state.
In-state vs out-of-state: the cost math for Hawaii
Avg in-state tuition
$5,915
per year, public universities
Avg out-of-state tuition
$16,159
per year, public universities
Annual OOS surcharge
$10,244
what a Hawaii resident saves per year
Over four years, the in-state vs out-of-state gap is roughly $40,976. Reciprocity programs (below) can let you attend an out-of-state public at closer to in-state rates for approved majors. Auto-merit scholarships at southern publics often beat in-state tuition for high-stat students.
Hawaii state scholarships and grants
Hawaii B Plus Scholarship
Merit-basedCovers tuition at any University of Hawaii campus
Deadline: No separate application required — awarded through UH admissions
Official program info →Reciprocity programs available to Hawaii students
Regional reciprocity programs let in-state students attend public universities in member states at reduced (often near in-state) tuition. The catch: usually only for approved majors not offered at your home-state public flagship.
WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange)
Member students can attend participating publics in 14 other Western states at 150% of in-state tuition. Read our full WUE explainer.
Community colleges + transfer pathways in Hawaii
Hawaii community colleges are often the highest-ROI starting point for a 4-year degree. Tuition runs 1/3 to 1/5 of a public four-year. Most state systems publish articulation agreements that guarantee credit transfer (and sometimes guaranteed admission) to the flagship public.
What to look for
- Articulation agreement: a published transfer guide that maps your community college courses to the equivalent course at the flagship public. No credit surprises at transfer.
- Guaranteed transfer admission: some states (CA, TX, VA, NC, FL, OH, GA) offer guaranteed admission to the state flagship if you complete an associate degree with a target GPA.
- Honors college at the community college: many states have honors tracks that strengthen the transfer application to selective publics and elite privates.
Verify the current articulation agreement with the community college and the target four-year before committing — they get updated annually. See our complete community college transfer guide.
Liberal arts colleges and small privates in Hawaii
Smaller selective private colleges located in Hawaii. The sticker price is high but most meet a significant share of demonstrated need, and merit awards at the strong regional privates can bring net cost below the OOS public number.
Local resources for Hawaii families
- University of Hawaii System — the official state higher-ed agency
- Hawaii B Plus Scholarship — official program info
Tips for maximising Hawaii aid
The B Plus Scholarship is a strong incentive to attend a UH campus — maintaining a 3.0 GPA in high school can effectively make UH tuition-free.
Hawaii's cost of living is among the highest in the nation — factor in housing and food costs even if tuition is covered by scholarships.
The University of Hawaii system has campuses across the islands — consider starting at a community college campus for even lower costs before transferring to UH Manoa.
Put this into action
Find colleges in Hawaii that fit your budget, or learn about FAFSA + scholarships.