Kauai Community College and UH Mānoa both reported 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates in their latest available years, so the flagship university's BSN does not trail the community colleges. Kauai Community College reports 100% across 17 test-takers; UH Mānoa reports 100% in 2023.
Seats are scarce, so weigh each program carefully. Kapiolani Community College admits roughly 20 students per semester, and UH Manoa reports a 10.5% nursing school acceptance rate. Programs here are ordered by NCLEX-RN performance, not prestige.
Most applicants prepare for nursing school by applying to several programs on different islands, so the program that offers a seat often decides the path.
How These Hawaii Nursing Programs Earned Their Spots
Which number best tells you whether a Hawaii nursing program will prepare you to practice? The NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate, so that figure drives this list.
What Counts Most
The pass rate makes up roughly three quarters of each program's score. It averages the state board's latest three years and weights them by test-taker volume, so a small cohort with one lucky or unlucky year does not swing the order. Accreditation and a small completion and retention component act as tie-breakers.
The Accreditation Screen
Two accreditors matter here, and they cover different program types.
- ACEN: Accredits the associate degree programs at Kapiʻolani, Hawaiʻi, and Kauaʻi community colleges. UH Maui College's ACEN listing is for practical nursing.
- CCNE: Accredits the baccalaureate and graduate programs at UH Mānoa, Hawaiʻi Pacific University, and Chaminade.
Hawaiʻi Pacific's graduate programs received a CCNE show-cause directive on July 8, 2026. The university says this is not adverse and that the programs remain accredited. UH Hilo's current status could not be confirmed from the directories, so check with the school directly.
Accreditation matters because unaccredited programs can limit your options. Graduate schools and some employers may not recognize the degree, which can block a later move into an MSN program in Hawaii, a DNP program in Hawaii, or a specialty role.
Reading the Numbers Correctly
Graduation rates shown here are institution-wide, not nursing-specific, so treat them as a rough signal of campus support. Net price is an average after financial aid, not a quote, and your own cost will depend on residency, aid, and credits.
What the Ranking Ignores
Research funding, reputation surveys, and campus amenities do not affect a program's position. None of them tells you whether graduates pass the licensing exam and start work as RNs.
Best NCLEX Outcomes: Hawaii Nursing Schools Ranked for 2027
Ranked here by first-time NCLEX-RN pass performance, with completion and accreditation as tie-breakers, these are the Hawaii nursing programs worth knowing in 2026. The year behind each pass rate matters: the Hawaii Board of Nursing's most recent confirmed results cover 2025 for some campuses, while others last published in 2024 or earlier, and a few do not publish a program-level figure at all. Compare cohort sizes along with percentages, since a small class can swing a rate sharply from one graduating group to the next.
How we ranked these
- Graduation and completion rates
- First-time NCLEX-RN pass rates
- Program accreditation standing
- Net price and in-state tuition
- Clinical training and simulation resources
- Original research on individual programs
- NCES-IPEDS federal institutional data — nces.ed.gov
- Program-level NCLEX pass rates from the state boards of nursing — ncsbn.org
- In-house program catalog data
Kauai Community College
#1Lihue, HI · ~$10,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 100% (2-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Kauai residents on a career-ladder path
Kauai Community College is the career-ladder nursing route for students on Kauai, awarding a practical nurse certificate after the first year for those who want to work sooner and continuing to RN licensure for those who stay on. The ACEN-accredited associate degree pairs small cohorts with a clinical immersion experience, and it articulates to the BSN at UH Manoa. Graduates are prepared for the NCLEX-RN and for roles in island hospitals, clinics, and community health settings.
- ACEN accredited
- Entrance exam required (TEAS)
- 73 total credit hours
- One start date per year, fall entry
- 2.8 GPA minimum plus prerequisite courses
- Earn a practical nurse certificate after the first year
- Clinical immersion experience
- Articulation pathway to the UH Manoa BSN
Kapiolani Community College
#2Honolulu, HI · ~$5,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 95.8% (2-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Honolulu commuters wanting a low-cost ADN
Kapiolani Community College's associate degree in nursing centers on entry-level registered nursing practice, blending theoretical instruction with hands-on clinical work across two campus locations in Honolulu. Admission is selective and evaluated on GPA, TEAS scores, and healthcare experience, with cohorts of roughly 20 students per semester and no time limit on how old prerequisite courses can be. Graduates are eligible for the NCLEX-RN and can articulate into BSN programs at UH Manoa and UH Hilo.
- ACEN accredited
- Entrance exam required (TEAS)
- Two start dates per year, fall and spring
- 2.5 GPA minimum plus prerequisites
- Roughly 20 students admitted per semester
- Two campus locations available
- Articulation to BSN programs at UH Manoa and UH Hilo
- No time limit on prerequisite courses
- Federal financial aid and scholarships available
Chaminade University of Honolulu
#3Honolulu, HI · $25,000 – $30,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 93.3% (2-yr weighted avg)
Best for: First-time freshmen wanting a four-year BSN
Chaminade University of Honolulu is a private Catholic institution whose direct-entry BSN runs as a four-year, lock-step cohort on a single Honolulu campus. Grounded in Marianist values, the program pairs small classes and faculty mentoring with clinical rotations in maternal-newborn, pediatric, psychiatric, and public health nursing, and it backs the sequence with a Four Year Graduation Guarantee. Eligible Hawaii high school graduates may also qualify for the Hawaii Guarantee Scholarship, which adjusts tuition after institutional aid.
- CCNE accredited
- Four-year direct-entry, lock-step program
- Four Year Graduation Guarantee for on-time completion
- 2.75 cumulative GPA required for nursing majors
- Clinical rotations in maternal-newborn, pediatric, psychiatric, and public health
- Values-based Marianist education with small classes
- Faculty mentorship and community partnerships
- Hawaii Guarantee Scholarship for eligible local graduates
University of Hawaii Maui College
#4Kahului, HI · ~$8,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 84.6% (2-yr weighted avg)
The University of Hawaii Maui College associate degree in nursing follows the Hawaii Statewide Nursing Curriculum and gives students two exit points, a practical nurse credential and registered nurse licensure. Clinical placements run through major Maui facilities, and admission gives priority to Hawaii residents. From Kahului, graduates can ladder into the BSN at UH Manoa.
- ACEN accredited
- Entrance exam required (TEAS)
- Two-year program, 73 total credit hours
- Fall start with a January 31 application deadline
- Two exit options: practical nurse and registered nurse
- Career ladder into the UH Manoa BSN
- Clinical sites at major Maui facilities
- Priority admission for Hawaii residents
Hawaii Community College
#5Hilo, HI · $5,000 – $10,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 83.7% (2-yr weighted avg)
Hawaii Community College's associate degree in nursing prepares students for entry-level RN practice through general education, prerequisites, and nursing coursework, with clinical experiences in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community settings. Licensed practical nurses can enter through a dedicated LPN-to-ASN pathway rather than starting over. The Hilo campus holds transfer agreements with four universities, including UH Hilo and UH Manoa, for graduates who want to continue to a BSN.
- ACEN accredited
- Approved by the Hawaii State Board of Nursing
- LPN-to-ASN pathway for licensed practical nurses
- 27 prerequisite and general education credits needed to apply
- Application window runs November 1 through January 15
- Clinical placements in hospitals, long-term care, and community settings
- Transfer agreements with UH Hilo, UH Manoa, Grand Canyon University, and WGU
Hawaii Pacific University
#6Honolulu, HI · $30,000/yr (est. net price) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 76.8% (2-yr weighted avg)
Hawaii Pacific University is a private institution in downtown Honolulu whose full-time BSN prepares students for the NCLEX-RN through two start dates a year and clinical placements across Oahu facilities. An Experiential Learning Center with medical simulations supports practice before students reach real patients, and the program offers both guaranteed and competitive admission pathways. Military-connected students are supported here, including those eligible for the Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program; the pass-rate figures below apply to the pre-licensure BSN, and the university also lists an RN-to-BSN completion option for nurses who already hold a license.
- CCNE accredited
- Four-semester traditional BSN, full-time enrollment
- Two start dates per year, fall and spring
- TEAS required; apply by February 1
- Clinical placements across Oahu facilities
- Experiential Learning Center with medical simulations
- Military benefits accepted; MECP eligible
- Guaranteed and competitive admission pathways
- Completion track for licensed registered nurses
- Leads to the BSN credential beyond initial licensure
University of Hawaii at Manoa
#7Honolulu, HI · $15,000 – $20,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 65.4% (2-yr weighted avg)
The University of Hawaii at Manoa is the state's research flagship, and its nursing school admits cohorts through three separate routes: a traditional three-year BSN, a four-year high school direct entry track, and a UH West Oahu pre-nursing pathway. Students train in the Translational Health Science Simulation Center, built with support from Hawaii health systems including Hawaii Pacific Health, The Queen's Medical Center, and Kaiser Permanente Hawaii. Admission is highly competitive, with accepted applicants posting an average combined GPA near 3.94.
- CCNE accredited
- Three-year, in-person, full-time cohort program
- 120 total credit hours
- 3.0 GPA minimum plus prerequisites
- TEAS entrance exam required
- Average accepted combined GPA of 3.94
- Acceptance rate around 10.5%
- Priority admission for Hawaii residents
- Four-year cohort track for incoming freshmen
- One start date per year, fall entry
- Hawaii residency required
- Cohort-based structure with advising support
- Prepares students for the NCLEX-RN
- Three-year cohort completed at UH West Oahu
- Spring start; apply by August 1
- 3.0 GPA minimum and at least 29 prerequisite credits
- TEAS minimum overall score of 78%
- Priority admission for UH West Oahu students
- Holistic admission review; 13 to 16% acceptance rate
University of Hawaii at Hilo
#8Hilo, HI · ~$12,000/yr (est.)
The University of Hawaii at Hilo runs the only baccalaureate nursing program on the neighbor islands, built around a transcultural curriculum that prepares nurses for rural and multi-ethnic communities. Cohorts are capped at about 30 students in Hilo, and learning happens in a simulation lab with high-fidelity manikins plus community health projects such as blood pressure screenings and teaching sessions. Admission weighs TEAS scores and prerequisite science coursework.
- CCNE accredited
- Transcultural nursing curriculum
- Only baccalaureate nursing program on the outer islands
- 30-student Hilo campus cohort
- Fall start; TEAS entrance exam required
- Rural clinical learning experiences
- Learning lab with high-fidelity manikins
- Community health teaching and screening projects
ADN or BSN in Hawaii? Comparing the Community College and University Routes
Kapiʻolani Community College's associate degree in nursing requires 72 to 73 credits, and 23 to 26 of those are prerequisites you finish before or alongside the nursing sequence. That matters because the "two-year" label on UH community college ADN programs usually counts from admission into nursing courses, not from your first prerequisite class.
How the Two Routes Compare
- Length: UH community college ADN programs typically run about 24 months after admission. Prerequisites and co-requisites can stretch your total timeline. A BSN at UH Mānoa or UH Hilo is a 120-credit bachelor's degree.
- Where offered: ADN programs are housed in the UH community college system, including Kapiʻolani on Oahu. BSN programs are at the university campuses: UH Mānoa, UH Hilo, and UH Maui College.
- Cost: Community college credits generally cost less than university credits, so the ADN route is usually the cheaper way to your first license. Confirm current tuition with each campus.
- Credential: An associate degree versus a bachelor of science.
- Next step: ADN graduates can continue into one of the RN to BSN Programs in Hawaii at UH Mānoa or UH Hilo. BSN graduates are already positioned for graduate study.
Same Exam, Same License
ADN and BSN graduates sit for the same NCLEX-RN and earn the same RN license. The differences show up later, in some employers' hiring preferences and in eligibility for graduate programs.
Moving From ADN to BSN Inside the UH System
UH Mānoa's online RN-to-BS admits UH System ADN graduates with a 2.0 GPA (2.5 for non-UH applicants), with deadlines of January 5 and August 1. UH System applicants must hold an unrestricted RN license or pass the NCLEX-RN by their second semester. The degree totals 120 credits, including a 30-credit nursing major, 30 credits taken at Mānoa, and 45 upper-division credits.
UH Hilo's RN-to-BSN lists 57 credits: 27 pre-core and 30 nursing. Your actual remaining load depends on how your ADN and general education credits transfer, plus the 30-credit residence requirement.
The Hawaii Statewide Nursing Consortium framework still shapes cross-campus course equivalencies, and UH Hilo publishes an exhibit mapping prerequisites, general education, and required courses across UH campuses. The latest version we could confirm is dated November 2024, and no single current agreement guarantees every ADN credit transfers one-for-one. Request an equivalency review before you register.
Which Path Fits You
- ADN: Best if speed and cost come first and you want to start working as an RN sooner.
- BSN: Best if you are aiming for leadership roles or graduate school, including NP Programs in Hawaii.
- RN-to-BSN: Best for working nurses who want the bachelor's without stepping away from their jobs.
Accelerated Nursing Programs in Hawaii: The Honest Picture for Career Changers
No Hawaii-based school offers a traditional stand-alone ABSN in 2026, so accelerated BSN programs for career changers are limited to one graduate-entry route. One new launch is worth watching: UH Maui College is starting a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with an inaugural cohort of 30 students, but reporting does not say it is accelerated or open to second-degree students.1
The UH Mānoa Graduate Entry Option
The closest in-state alternative is the Graduate Entry Program in Nursing (GEPN) at UH Mānoa. It is built for people making a career change to nursing after earning a bachelor's degree in another field. It combines prelicensure nursing education with RN preparation, and it ends in a Master of Science in Nursing, not a second bachelor's degree. That makes it an entry-level MSN program, which is different from the ABSN programs hawaii searchers often expect.
The published sources describe GEPN as accelerated but do not state its exact length or licensure timeline, so confirm both with the school before planning your finances. Admission runs on an annual cycle with a fall start. For Fall 2026, applications opened September 1, 2025 and closed October 31, 2025. Seats are scarce, so expect a competitive process and plan your prerequisites well ahead of the next cycle.
Online and Hybrid ABSNs
Mainland online or hybrid ABSNs may market themselves to Hawaii residents, but the available research does not confirm that any of them are authorized to place students in Hawaii clinical sites. Clinical placements here may be limited or unavailable. Before you pay a deposit, ask each program in writing:
- State authorization: Is the program approved to enroll students who live in Hawaii?
- Clinical placement: Which Hawaii hospitals or clinics host your rotations, and is there a signed agreement?
- Licensure: Will the Hawaii Board of Nursing accept the program for NCLEX-RN eligibility?
One note on terminology: UH Mānoa's online RN-to-BS is not an entry-level option. It requires an associate degree or diploma in nursing, plus RN licensure.
Practical Fallbacks for Oahu and the Outer Islands
If you are searching for accelerated nursing programs oahu, or you live on a neighbor island, two realistic fallbacks remain:
- ADN with prior coursework applied: Your earlier general education and science credits may shorten the prerequisite stage. You then earn your RN license and can bridge to a BSN later.
- Relocating to a mainland ABSN: This offers the fastest bachelor's-level route, but it means moving costs, out-of-state tuition, and giving up Hawaii-based clinical connections.
Weigh GEPN against these paths based on your timeline, budget, and tolerance for a competitive application.
Hawaii by City
Explore other Hawaii related topics
Where to Study Nursing on Oahu, Hawaii Island, Maui, and Kauai
If you are weighing nursing school Oahu options against staying on a neighbor island, know that Oahu has the deepest mix of programs and the most clinical capacity: ADN and practical nursing at Kapiʻolani Community College (including its Leeward satellite), BSN study at UH Mānoa, Hawaiʻi Pacific University, and Chaminade, and a UH Health Sciences Collaborative BSN cohort in Waiʻanae. Outer-island students have fewer choices and may face fewer cohorts or less frequent admission cycles, though Hilo offers both UH Hilo and a UH Health Sciences Collaborative BSN cohort, and Hawaiʻi Community College also runs a nursing program in Hilo (confirm its current offerings directly with the college). Before relocating, budget carefully for Oahu's high housing costs, and ask each program where clinical rotations take place, since UH Maui College lists partners located on Maui while other schools do not publish their clinical sites, so whether inter-island travel is ever required is worth confirming before you apply.
| Island | School | Nursing Programs Offered | Primary Clinical Sites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oahu | Kapiʻolani Community College (Diamond Head campus, Honolulu) | LPN; ADN | N/A |
| Oahu | Kapiʻolani Community College at Leeward Community College (satellite site) | Practical Nursing (offered each Fall); Associate Degree in Nursing; LPN-RN Bridge | N/A |
| Oahu | University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa | Traditional BSN; UH West Oʻahu Pre-Nursing to UH Mānoa BSN; RN to BSN (online) | N/A |
| Oahu | UH Health Sciences Collaborative, Waiʻanae cohort | BSN (Waiʻanae Cohort) | N/A |
| Oahu | Hawaiʻi Pacific University (Aloha Tower, Honolulu) | BSN; MSN; DNP | N/A |
| Oahu | Chaminade University of Honolulu | BSN; MSN; DNP | N/A |
| Hawaii Island | University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, School of Nursing | BSN; DNP | N/A |
| Hawaii Island | UH Health Sciences Collaborative, Hilo cohort | BSN (Hilo Cohort) | N/A |
| Maui | University of Hawaiʻi Maui College | Practical Nurse (PN); Associate in Science Registered Nurse (RN) | Maui Memorial Medical Center (MHS); Kula Hospital; Kaiser Permanente clinics and home care; Maui Medical Group; Hale Makua; Ohana Pacific Health; Kaunoa Senior Center; Ai Pono Hawaiʻi; Salvation Army; physician offices; Maui County preschools and public schools |
| Kauai | University of Hawaiʻi Kauaʻi Community College | Associate in Science Registered Nurse | N/A |
Hawaii Board of Nursing Licensure Snapshot
Kapiʻolani Community College's ADN runs 72 to 73 credits, and that UH community college path remains the fastest, least expensive route to NCLEX-RN eligibility in Hawaii. Use this rule to narrow your list:
- ADN: Choose a UH community college program if speed and cost matter most.
- BSN: Pick a UH or private university BSN if you want a long-term ladder toward leadership or graduate study, including Family Nurse Practitioner Programs in Hawaii.
- Bachelor's already earned: Look at the direct-entry MSN program route or a mainland ABSN, since no Hawaii-based school offers a stand-alone ABSN in 2026.
Compare first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates first, then weigh island location and cost. This semester, check prerequisite deadlines at two or more programs so a single missed date doesn't cost you a full admission cycle.