University of Hawai’i 4-year campuses earn high marks

University of Hawaiʻi’s three 4-year universities, including University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo on the Big Island, earned national recognition in U.S. News and World Report 2027 Best Colleges rankings.

The Mānoa, Hilo and West Oʻahu campuses were ranked among the country’s top 4-year institutions out of 2,630 4-year institutions nationwide based on nearly 20 categories (depending on program ranking), including graduation and retention rates, peer assessments, academic and financial resources and student excellence.

“Recognition from U.S. News and World Report reflects the many ways the University of Hawaiʻi is serving students and the state,” said University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel. “From academic programs and student support to opportunities that help students move into careers and build better lives for themselves and their families, these results highlight the strength and value of a University of Hawaiʻi education.”

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo ranked among the top national liberal arts colleges — a category that compares institutions throughout the nation rather than within a single region — that focus almost exclusively on undergraduate education and tend to award most of their degrees in the arts and sciences.

The Hilo campus ranked No. 17 as a top public school, No. 77 (tied) for social mobility and No. 153 overall in that category.

Other Hilo rankings:

• School of Nursing ranked No. 195 (tied) as the nation’s best undergraduate nursing program among 671 ranked undergraduate nursing programs.
• Department of Psychology ranked No. 255 (tied) out of the top 676 undergraduate psychology programs in the nation.
• College of Business and Economics placed No. 301 (tied) in the nation out of 535 ranked undergraduate business programs.

“We’re proud to see [University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo] recognized among the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges,” said University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our faculty, staff and students and the high-quality education and experiences we provide. It’s a testament to the strong community we’ve built at [University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo] and our commitment to student success.”

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

The international business program in University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business ranked No. 23 among the best programs in the nation, as well as No. 129 (tied) among the best undergraduate business programs out of 535 ranked undergraduate business programs.

Other Mānoa rankings:

• No. 96 (tied) as a top U.S. public university.
• No. 128 for best colleges for veterans.
• No. 186 (tied) overall in the country.
• No. 196 (tied) in social mobility, which measures how well schools graduated students who were federal Pell Grant recipients.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa was ranked among the national universities category — featuring institutions that offer a range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs as well as emphasize faculty research.

Department/school rankings:

• School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene is No. 94 (tied) best undergraduate nursing program among 671 ranked undergraduate nursing programs.
• Department of Economics ranked No. 140 (tied) for best undergraduate economics programs in the nation.
• Department of Psychology ranked No. 189 (tied) out of the top 676 best undergraduate psychology programs in the nation.
• College of Engineering placed No. 146 (tied) among the best undergraduate engineering programs that offer doctoral degrees in the country.
• Department of Information and Computer Sciences ranked as the No. 173 (tied) best undergraduate computer science program out of 587 ranked programs.

“[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa]’s strong showing reflects the depth and breadth of a flagship institution that combines outstanding undergraduate education with nationally recognized research and professional programs,” said Mānoa Chancellor Vassilis Syrmos. “Our faculty, staff and students should all take pride in their hard work and dedication that led to these results, which can also be attributed to the many unique opportunities we are able to provide to students across our campus and in the field.”

University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu

University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu earned two second-place regional rankings and two additional top-10 rankings.

Rankings:

• No. 2 (tied) for top public colleges in the West and best colleges for veterans among regional colleges in the West.
• No. 8 for social mobility for regional colleges in the West.
• No. 9 (tied) overall among regional colleges in the West.

“These rankings are a reflection of the outstanding work happening every day at [University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu],” said University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu Interim Chancellor Carlos Peñaloza. “Our faculty and staff are dedicated to providing students with a high-quality education and the support they need to succeed.”