Online and On-Campus Colleges in HAWAII

Founded in 1907, the University of Hawaii at Manoa is the flagship institution of the University of Hawaii System. It has the largest student body among all Hawaii colleges and universities -- more than 17,500 students in 2017 -- and serves as the source campus for numerous online degrees and courses offered by the UH System.

All but two of UH's online degree programs for graduate students are based in Manoa, as well as a doctoral degree in nursing and five certificate programs for Hawaii teachers. On campus, UH Manoa offers more than 170 bachelor's and master's degree programs through its 17 colleges and schools.

UH Manoa has its campus in Manoa Valley, outside Honolulu on the island of Oahu. The list of available varsity sports includes swimming, diving, volleyball, sailing, water polo and more.

Brigham Young University may be best known for its main campus in Utah, but its satellite location in Hawaii is renowned as well. Owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the school brings together approximately 2,500 students from more than 70 countries. It has five colleges and employs a learning framework intended to help students "prepare, engage and improve."

Academics at BYU-Hawaii focus on undergraduate programs in three major categories: arts and humanities, math and sciences and professional studies. Business management, biological science and international cultural studies are the top three majors on campus, and the student-faculty ratio is 15:1.

The Oahu city of Laie, where the campus is located, is a relatively small community of just over 6,100 residents. Outdoor recreation, cultural events and breathtaking views in the area can help you recharge between semesters.

Offering more than 50 degree programs, Hawaii Pacific University pulls students from all 50 states and some 65 countries. The school was first chartered in 1965 and grew through accretion and mergers with other Hawaii colleges to become one of the largest private institutions in the central Pacific region.

Most students gravitate to HPU for its degree programs, but it may also be one of the best schools in Hawaii for non-degree career education. The Honolulu school offers a range of online courses designed for professional advancement in business, health and tech careers.

If you prefer a close-knit learning environment, HPU has got what you're looking for. The student-faculty ratio here is 12:1 -- 25 percent better than the national average for public universities -- and the average lecture class contains just 17 students.

The campus of Chaminade University of Honolulu dates back to 1928, when it housed a non-college institution called the Saint Louis School. It began offering college degrees as St. Louis Junior College in 1955 and became Chaminade University of Honolulu with the establishment of a graduate school in 1977.

This private school is one of just three higher education institutions in the country affiliated with the Marianist religious order and serves as the only Catholic university in Hawaii. It's also one of the top colleges and universities in Hawaii for online undergraduate degrees, offering more than a dozen bachelor's and associate study plans in the virtual classroom.

Students who feel at home on a small campus may want to give this one a second look. Chaminade reported an undergraduate population of fewer than 1,200 students in 2017.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo got its start as an outreach program of UH Manoa in 1947. By 1970, it became its own separate institution. Today, more than 3,500 students work toward their degrees in the 50 undergraduate and graduate programs offered here.

UH Hilo is one of the top schools in Hawaii for affordable degree programs, according to the numbers. Students here paid an average of around $7,600 for a full year of tuition and fees in 2017, which is close to 25 percent more affordable than the national average cost at public four-year schools the same year.

Students who live on and love the island of Hawaii may have an additional reason to enroll at UH Hilo. No other degree-granting Hawaii colleges operate on the big island as of 2018.

Founded in 1976, this outpost of the University of Hawaii System is one of the youngest institutions in the state. Although the school's campus is located in Kapolei -- Oahu's "second city" after the capital Honolulu -- distance education programs are available to serve students from all over the state.

In fact, the University of Hawaii - West Oahu may be one of the best online colleges in Hawaii, offering undergraduate business administration, psychology, education and political science degree plans in the virtual classroom. All online programs here require students to complete their lower-division coursework at a partnering community college or on campus in Kapolei.

UHWO has been recognized for the special focus it places on serving indigenous students. Although there is an emphasis on Native Hawaiian people and culture, students from all backgrounds are welcome.