Best RN Programs in Hawaii for 2026

The University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene offers a Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a three-year, in-person, cohort-based program designed for current and former college students who have completed prerequisite coursework. The program admits students for fall semester only and leads to a BSN that prepares graduates to sit for the NCLEX-RN. There is no online or accelerated track; the traditional BSN is the single pathway offered through this program page.

The numbers tell a demanding story. Fall 2026 saw 286 total applicants compete for 30 seats, producing a 10.5% acceptance rate among all applicants. Among eligible applicants who cleared minimum academic thresholds, the acceptance rate was 41.7%. The average combined GPA of admitted students was 3.94 and average TEAS overall was 88%. Hawaii residents receive clear admission priority: 25 of 30 Fall 2026 seats went to resident applicants. In-state tuition is $11,304 per year versus $33,336 out-of-state, which matters given that advantage. The university-wide graduation rate is 64%, and the program holds a Hakia Score of 80.3, the highest among Hawaii nursing programs in this ranking.

This program fits a specific student: someone with a strong science GPA, competitive TEAS scores, and Hawaii residency who wants a structured three-year path at the flagship state university. The cohort model builds peer connections, and the BSN credential opens the door to graduate education. Non-resident applicants face both lower admission odds and tuition nearly three times the in-state rate, so the value calculation is different for those students.

Kauai Community College offers an Associate in Science in Nursing (ADN) through its Career Ladder Nursing program, a structure that builds sequentially toward RN licensure. The program admits new students every fall semester. Completing the first year earns a Certificate of Achievement and eligibility to sit for the NCLEX-PN as a Practical Nurse. Continuing into the second year and finishing the 73-credit sequence leads to the AS degree and eligibility for the NCLEX-RN. Licensed Practical Nurses can also enter the second year directly through an LPN-to-RN pathway. Graduates are eligible for admission to the fourth year of the BSN program at UH Manoa, giving the credential a clear upward ladder. The program is ACEN-accredited with a current status of Continuing Accreditation.

The cost case for this program is straightforward: $3,144 per year in-state tuition, versus $8,280 for out-of-state students. That is the lowest in-state rate among the four top Hawaii nursing programs in this ranking. The Hakia Score is 76.5 and the institution-wide graduation rate is 48%, which reflects the academic difficulty of nursing career ladder programs generally. Admission requires a minimum 2.75 GPA in prerequisites with no grade below C (C- not accepted), plus TEAS scores at the Proficient level or higher in all content areas. The small campus in Lihue serves a tight local community.

This program is built for Hawaii residents who want the fastest, most affordable entry point into RN practice. The career ladder structure also lets students pause at the LPN credential if needed, then continue. The tradeoff versus a four-year BSN is a lower starting credential; however, the direct articulation pathway to UH Manoa's BSN program preserves the option to advance.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a four-year program with a distinctive rural and transcultural focus. Admission is based primarily on performance in natural science coursework and TEAS scores. The program runs two cohorts: a 30-seat cohort on the Hilo campus and a 10-seat distance cohort at the Waianae campus on Oahu. Students may apply to one or both cohorts. The November 1 application deadline applies to both. Curriculum threads include transcultural nursing across multi-ethnic populations, community health projects such as school-based health teaching and screening activities, and simulation lab training using low- and high-fidelity manikins. The program also emphasizes pathways for working RNs seeking to advance.

UH Hilo's overall admission rate is 61%, considerably more open than UH Manoa's nursing-specific acceptance rate, though nursing admission itself is described as very competitive and based on science coursework performance. In-state tuition is $7,344 per year; out-of-state is $20,304. The institution-wide graduation rate is 48%, and the Hakia Score is 74.8. The smaller campus enrollment of 2,668 students means more direct student-faculty interaction than a flagship research university can typically offer.

This program fits students who want a BSN but prefer a community-oriented, smaller-campus setting, or who need rural clinical placements that reflect where they intend to practice. The Waianae distance cohort is worth noting for Oahu residents who cannot relocate to Hilo. The cost is meaningfully lower than the private alternative in Honolulu, and the rural health emphasis is a genuine curricular differentiator, not a marketing phrase.

Chaminade University of Honolulu offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) through its School of Nursing and Health Professions. The program is a direct-entry, four-year lock-step degree requiring full-time enrollment throughout. There is no part-time option described on the program page. The curriculum is built on a values-based, Marianist framework emphasizing community partnerships, individualized mentoring, and evidence-based clinical practice. Students begin community outreach and supervised clinical work from the start. The program page lists CCNE accreditation through ccneaccreditation.org and notes that the School of Nursing and Health Professions received full accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare from October 2025 through December 2030.

Chaminade is a private nonprofit institution, and tuition reflects that: $30,760 per year, the same for in-state and out-of-state students. That is nearly three times the cost of UH Manoa for Hawaii residents. The university-wide admission rate is 91% and the graduation rate is 55%. The Hakia Score is 70.4. The smaller university enrollment of 2,709 supports the personalized learning model the program describes, and the lock-step structure means students move through the curriculum as a cohort with a defined four-year timeline.

The honest tradeoff here is cost versus access and setting. Students who do not qualify for UH Manoa's highly competitive nursing selection process, or who prefer a mission-driven, faith-affiliated environment with strong simulation infrastructure, may find Chaminade a viable path to the same BSN credential. The $30,760 annual tuition demands a serious financial aid and scholarship review before committing.

Hawaii Community College offers an Associate in Science Degree in Nursing (ASN-RN), a two-year path to RN licensure based in Hilo. The program runs two tracks under the same roof: a Generic ASN entry for pre-nursing students and an LPN-to-AS-NURS pathway for working practical nurses who want to advance to registered nurse status. Both tracks prepare graduates to sit for the NCLEX-RN. The program is approved by the Hawaii State Board of Nursing and carries ACEN accreditation with a current status of Continuing Accreditation. A separate Certificate of Achievement in Practical Nursing (CA-PRCN) is also offered for students targeting the NCLEX-PN first. Transfer agreements with UH Hilo, UH Manoa, Grand Canyon University, and Western Governors University give ADN graduates a defined pathway to a BSN.

With in-state tuition of $3,144 per year, this is one of the most affordable RN entry points in Hawaii. Out-of-state tuition rises to $8,280, which still undercuts most private programs in the state. The graduation rate sits at 33%, reflecting the real academic demands of a clinically rigorous community college nursing program. Hawaii CC carries a Hakia Score of 67.7, ranking it fifth among Hawaii RN programs in 2026. The program fits students already on the island of Hawaii who want a direct, affordable path to RN licensure and a clear route to a bachelor's degree later.

Hawaii Pacific University's Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a four-year degree program based in Honolulu. The program page identifies multiple upper-division entry options: a Traditional BSN for pre-licensure students, an RN-to-BSN completion track, an LPN/LVN-to-BSN bridge, an HM-BSN path, and a Military Enlisted Commissioning Program (MECP) route for active-duty service members. Clinical placements are distributed across healthcare facilities on Oahu, and students supplement bedside hours in an on-campus Experiential Learning Center that runs planned simulations based on real medical scenarios. Admissions follow two defined pathways: a Guaranteed Pathway for current HPU students and Nursing Scholars, and a Competitive Pathway open to HPU students and transfer applicants, with separate deadlines for fall and spring entry.

Tuition is $33,792 per year and does not vary by residency, since HPU is a private nonprofit. That flat rate simplifies planning for mainland and international applicants but is a significant cost compared to the public UH system campuses. The admit rate is 86%, signaling an accessible application process, and enrollment stands at 4,921 across the university. The graduation rate is 35%. HPU holds a Hakia Score of 66.8, ranking it sixth among Hawaii RN programs in 2026. The program is a fit for students who want a BSN from the start, need scheduling flexibility through multiple tracks, or are military-connected and pursuing the MECP commissioning route. BLS data puts the national median wage for registered nurses at $97,550 per year, giving context for the return on a $33,792 annual tuition investment.

University of Hawaii Maui College offers an Associate in Science in Nursing (73 credits) as part of the Hawaii Statewide Nursing Curriculum, making it a two-year path to RN licensure for Maui-based students. The program also offers a Practical Nurse Certificate of Achievement (45-56 credits) for students targeting LPN licensure first. The career ladder structure is explicit: students can earn a PN certificate and sit for the NCLEX-PN at the end of year one, complete the ASN-RN and sit for the NCLEX-RN at the end of year two, then step directly into UH Manoa's BSN program for a third year. The curriculum is built on the Benner model and the QSEN framework, emphasizing clinical reasoning and cultural humility through Hawaiian values including malama, lokahi, and kuleana. Registration is restricted to Hawaii residents in most cycles; the program typically receives 85 to 100 qualified in-state applicants per cycle, and applications are due January 31 for fall start.

In-state tuition is $3,144 per year, identical to Hawaii CC, making it one of the two lowest-cost RN entry points in the state data set. Out-of-state tuition is $8,280, though the residency preference in admissions makes this path primarily realistic for Hawaii residents. The graduation rate is 28%, which is the lowest among the three programs profiled here and reflects the competitive entry and clinical intensity at a small commuter campus. UHMC carries a Hakia Score of 65.1, ranking it seventh among Hawaii RN programs in 2026. The program suits Maui residents who want the lowest-cost route to RN licensure and a built-in path toward a BSN without relocating for the first two years.