The University of Hawaiʻi Community College System is one of the best in the nation according to an analysis by WalletHub, a personal finance company. UH is 6th out of 41 states that have community college systems.
“It is not a surprise that UH is ranked so high considering our affordability, quality of our faculty and staff and the wide range of programs offered,” said Interim Vice President of Community Colleges Della Teraoka. “Whether you’re starting an educational path towards a degree, preparing for a trade, or returning to pursue a mid-life career change that requires more education and training, UH has a place for you.”
UH community colleges offer degree programs, career and technical education and career pathways, and job training and certification. Hawaiʻi CC, Honolulu CC, Kapiʻolani CC, Kauaʻi CC, Leeward CC, UH Maui College, Windward CC are part of Hawaiʻi’s 10-campus public higher education system.
The annual cost of tuition at a UH Community College is $3,144, compared to $11,304 for a UH four-year college, $30,760 for a private four-year Hawaiʻi college and $69,504 for an out-of-state private college.
“Community colleges are an especially attractive option this year as many families deal with inflated prices,” said WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe. “Students who initially planned on attending a private four-year college might want to consider spending two years at a community college and transferring those credits once they are in a better financial situation.”
WalletHub determined the ranking by analyzing 18 key metrics of 653 community colleges and calculated a weighted average of the scores earned by the community colleges in each state. Maryland had the number one ranked system and Ohio had the lowest ranked system. Data used to create the ranking were collected as of July 16, 2024, from the National Center for Education Statistics, Campaign for Free College Tuition, U.S. Department of Education and Council for Community & Economic Research.
