The Best Bachelor's in Business Administration Programs in Hawaii for 2027
Key Points: Best Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Hawaii
- University of Hawaii at Manoa ranks #1 in Hawaii on a 78.1 Program Score, with a 64% graduation rate.
- The hardest to get into is Brigham Young University-Hawaii (#2), which admits 47% of applicants.
- Public schools hold most of the places on this list.
- Cost and quality are not opposites here: the lowest-tuition program on the list, Brigham Young University-Hawaii, ranks #2.
- Programs analyzed
- 5
- In-state tuition range
- $6,630-$30,760
- Average graduation rate
- 54%
- Median salary (BLS)
- $105,770
The best business administration programs in Hawaii span a wide cost gap. In-state tuition across the five ranked schools runs from $6,630 to $30,760 a year, and the strongest low-cost public option, University of Hawaii at Hilo, charges $7,344. This ranking scored all five accredited programs in the state that report data to the U.S. Dept. of Education, weighing graduation rate, admissions selectivity, cost, and outcomes rather than reputation surveys or paid placements.
Average graduation rate across the five ranked programs is 54%, a number that swings by more than 15 points between the highest and lowest school and matters more than any admissions brochure claim. Hawaii's slate of ranked business schools is small, five total, but it mixes a public flagship, two smaller public campuses, a church-affiliated nonprofit, and a private university, so the tradeoffs between cost, selectivity, and outcomes are real and worth mapping before you apply.
What follows breaks down what a business administration degree actually costs once you account for the gap between public and private tuition, what licensure and accreditation do and don't apply to a BBA, and where a national management-occupations salary of $105,770 a year fits as context, not a per-school guarantee.
Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Hawaii, Compared by Score
Hawaii at Manoa leads at 78.1, and Hawaii-West Oahu closes the chart at 66.3. Longer bars rank higher.
Our Methodology for Ranking Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Hawaii
Each Program Score runs from 0 to 100: outcomes count for 44%, selectivity and academics for 38%, and scale and value for 18%, all from federal data. See how the weights work.
The 5 Best Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Hawaii, Ranked for 2027
The 5 best Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Hawaii, ranked by outcomes.
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HI · Public
- Grad rate
- 64%
- Admit rate
- 87%
- In-state
- $11,304
- Out-of-state
- $33,336
University of Hawaii at Manoa's Shidler College of Business graduates 64% of students and charges in-state residents $22,032 less per year than the $33,336 out-of-state tuition.
- 64% graduation rate
- $11,304 in-state tuition
- $22,032 in-state savings vs. out-of-state
- 8 majors including accounting, finance, marketing
The Shidler College of Business at UH Manoa runs an upper-division BBA built in three parts: general education, business fundamentals, and a specialized major chosen from accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, human resources management, international business, management, information technology management, or marketing, with double majors and minors available. Entry requires junior standing (60+ credit hours), a 2.5 cumulative GPA, and a set of pre-business courses, including ACC 200, ACC 210, and ECON 130, 131, completed with no grade below a C. High-achieving incoming freshmen can skip that wait through the Shidler Freshman Direct Admit Program, a merit-based track that admits students straight from their UH Manoa application with no separate paperwork and comes with an enrollment scholarship.
UH Manoa graduates 64% of its students and admits 87% of applicants, a relatively open front door that funnels into the more selective, GPA-gated business major itself. In-state tuition runs $11,304 a year against $33,336 out-of-state, a $22,032 gap that makes Hawaii residency the single biggest cost factor for this degree. With 20,028 students enrolled, it's the largest of the five programs with reported enrollment in this ranking and carries a Program Score of 78.1, the top score in this ranking.
Brigham Young University-Hawaii
Laie, HI · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 53%
- Admit rate
- 47%
- In-state
- $6,630
- Out-of-state
- $6,630
BYU-Hawaii admits just 47% of applicants and charges every student, in-state or not, the same $6,630 tuition for its Business Management degree.
- 47% admit rate, most selective of the five programs with admissions data
- $6,630 flat tuition, in state or out
- 53% graduation rate
- B- grade threshold to declare a concentration
BYU-Hawaii's BS in Business Management stacks 21 credits of business prerequisites (financial and managerial accounting, intro to business, micro- and macroeconomics, financial computing, statistics) onto 19 credits of business foundations covering finance, marketing management, principles of management, business communication, business law and ethics, and business analytics and operations. Students then pick a concentration, such as Economics (12 required credits plus an elective in economic development, money and banking, or international economics) or Finance (6 required credits plus three elective courses), and several concentrations set a hard bar: a B- or better in specific gateway courses like BUSM 301 or ECON 200 before a student can declare that track.
The school admits 47% of applicants, the most selective of the five Hawaii programs with reported admissions data here, and graduates 53% of students. Tuition is flat at $6,630 whether a student is a Hawaii resident or not, well under half of what UH Manoa charges out-of-state students and even below UH Hilo's in-state rate. Enrollment sits at 2,906, and the program carries a Program Score of 75.4, ranking third in our data. It fits students who want a concentration-based degree with grade-gated rigor at a fixed, low price regardless of home state.
University of Hawaii at Hilo
Hilo, HI · Public
- Grad rate
- 48%
- Admit rate
- 61%
- In-state
- $7,344
- Out-of-state
- $20,304
University of Hawaii at Hilo's BBA is the only program here with an Agricultural Business concentration, and in-state students pay $12,960 less than the $20,304 out-of-state tuition.
- 61% admit rate
- 48% graduation rate
- $7,344 in-state tuition
- Agricultural Business concentration
University of Hawaii at Hilo's BBA in Business Administration (General Business) runs students through a 30-credit pre-business core (financial and managerial accounting, intro to business or business law, public speaking, microeconomics and macroeconomics, business statistics) and a 24-credit professional business core covering management and organizational behavior, international business management, marketing, finance, operations management, business analytics, business ethics, and strategic management. From there, students pick an 18-credit concentration. Applied Economics is one option, but the standout is Agricultural Business, a 30-credit track built jointly with UH Hilo's College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Management that adds courses like sustainable agriculture, horticulture, and a chemistry requirement alongside upper-division business coursework.
The school admits 61% of applicants and graduates 48%, the lowest completion rate of the five programs with reported graduation-rate data here. In-state tuition is $7,344 against $20,304 out-of-state, a $12,960 difference, and that out-of-state rate is itself far below UH Manoa's $33,336. Enrollment is 2,668, and the program holds a Program Score of 73.6, the fourth-place mark in this set. It's the pick for students who want a business degree tied directly to agriculture, or an out-of-state student who wants a public Hawaii option cheaper than UH Manoa.
Chaminade University of Honolulu
Honolulu, HI · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 55%
- Admit rate
- 91%
- In-state
- $30,760
- Out-of-state
- $30,760
Chaminade admits 91% of applicants and anchors its business degree in a required senior capstone that puts students on real, often nonprofit, organizations rather than hypothetical case studies.
- 55% graduation rate
- 91% admit rate
- $30,760 flat tuition (same in-state or out)
- Hogan Entrepreneurial Program mentorship
Chaminade University of Honolulu's B.A. in Business Administration is built around individualized, hands-on learning rather than lecture-only instruction. The program requires a senior team field project, a capstone in which students apply the business models and knowledge from their coursework to a real organization, often a local nonprofit. Its Hogan Entrepreneurial Program pairs students with working business leaders in a weekly mentor-mentee relationship (open to any major, not just business), and service-learning projects run from freshman year through senior year. Pre-major coursework includes Foundations of Financial and Strategic Accounting, a Technology Certification Lab, and a data analytics course before students move into the core major requirements.
Chaminade admits 91% of applicants, a wide-open door for a private university, and graduates 55% of its students. Tuition runs a flat $30,760 a year regardless of residency, since the school is private nonprofit; there is no in-state discount to offset that cost. With 2,709 students enrolled campus-wide, Chaminade stays small, which shows up in the low student-to-faculty ratio and advising access the program cites. Its Program Score of 68.1 ranks it #5 among the business administration programs we evaluate in Hawaii for 2027, a reflection of its accessibility and hands-on capstone weighed against a moderate graduation rate and a tuition bill with no residency break. Nationally, management occupations carry a median salary of $105,770 a year per BLS data, context for the field rather than a Chaminade-specific outcome.
The program fits a student who wants a small Catholic Marianist university and a guaranteed mentor relationship through Hogan, and who is not counting on an in-state tuition discount to already be built in.
University of Hawaii-West Oahu
Kapolei, HI · Public
- Grad rate
- 50%
- Admit rate
- 95%
- In-state
- $7,344
- Out-of-state
- $20,304
University of Hawaii-West Oahu charges residents just $7,344 a year for its business administration degree, less than a third of the $20,304 nonresidents pay.
- 50% graduation rate
- 95% admit rate
- $7,344 in-state vs $20,304 out-of-state tuition
- in-class and distance learning formats
University of Hawaii-West Oahu's B.A. in Business Administration, General Business Administration concentration, prepares students for management roles in organizations from small businesses to multinationals. Coursework builds a foundation in business objectives and processes alongside the context around them: ethical and global issues, political, social, legal, regulatory, environmental and technological factors, and the effect of workforce diversity. The program is offered both in-class and through distance learning, so students can complete it without relocating to Kapolei. A student-run Business Club runs alongside the coursework, organizing community service projects, company tours and guest lectures from the local business community.
UH West Oahu admits 95% of applicants and graduates 50% of them, numbers that mark it as an accessible entry point rather than a selective one. The tuition gap is the real story: Hawaii residents pay $7,344 a year, while nonresidents pay $20,304, nearly triple. With 2,814 students enrolled, it is a similarly sized campus to Chaminade but public, which drives that in-state price advantage. Its Program Score of 66.3 ranks it #6 among Hawaii's business administration programs for 2027, just behind Chaminade on score but well ahead on cost for any Hawaii resident. The program's own page notes graduates go on to pursue an MBA or Master of Accountancy, positioning the degree as a launchpad rather than a terminal credential. Nationally, management occupations pay a median $105,770 a year per BLS data, the same field-wide benchmark regardless of which Hawaii program a graduate attends.
Graduation Rates at the Ranked Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Hawaii
The median school on this list graduates 53% of its students. The highest rates belong to University of Hawaii at Manoa (64%) and Chaminade University of Honolulu (55%). The school with the highest rate is also ranked #1.
- #1 University of Hawaii at Manoa64% graduation rate
- #4 Chaminade University of Honolulu55% graduation rate
- #2 Brigham Young University-Hawaii53% graduation rate
Institution-wide graduation rates reported to IPEDS. They describe the whole school, not this program alone.
How Selective Are the Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Hawaii?
On this list, 1 school admits fewer than half of applicants, the most selective being Brigham Young University-Hawaii at 47%.
- #2 Brigham Young University-Hawaii47% admitted
- #3 University of Hawaii at Hilo61% admitted
- #1 University of Hawaii at Manoa87% admitted
Institution-wide admit rates for first-time applicants, reported to IPEDS. Open-admission schools do not report one.
Public and Private Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Hawaii
This list holds 3 public and 2 private nonprofit schools. Their median Program Scores: 73.6 public and 71.8 private nonprofit.
Control (public, private nonprofit, for-profit) as reported to IPEDS. Public schools usually charge residents less; private schools charge everyone the same rate.
Where the Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Hawaii Are
The 5 ranked schools are spread across 4 cities. Honolulu (2) is the only one with more than one ranked school.
Main campus city as reported to IPEDS.
Campus Size Across the Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Hawaii
Enrollment on this list runs from 2,668 at University of Hawaii at Hilo to 20,028 at University of Hawaii at Manoa. Of the 5, 1 enrolls 20,000 students or more and 4 enroll fewer than 5,000.
Total institution enrollment reported to IPEDS, all levels and programs.
What Graduates of the Business Administration Bachelor's Programs in Hawaii Earn
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years outEarnings, 4 yrs | Average net priceNet price |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | University of Hawaii at ManoaHawaii at Manoa | $62,119 | $11,122 |
| #3 | University of Hawaii at HiloHawaii at Hilo | $54,330 | $10,599 |
| #4 | Chaminade University of HonoluluChaminade University of Honolulu | $56,778 | $24,793 |
| #5 | University of Hawaii-West OahuHawaii-West Oahu | $56,227 | $8,144 |
Four years out, medians on this list run from $54,330 at Hawaii at Hilo to $62,119 at Hawaii at Manoa.
Hawaii at Manoa leads on both counts: the top rank among these schools and the highest graduate pay.
After grants, the average undergraduate pays least at Hawaii-West Oahu, $8,144 a year, and most at Chaminade University of Honolulu, $24,793.
College Scorecard, October 2026 release. Earnings cover each school's programs in this field at this degree level; net price is for full-time first-time undergraduates receiving aid.
What Bachelor's in Business Administration Programs Cost in Hawaii
The best business administration programs in Hawaii aren't priced the same. In-state tuition among the five ranked schools runs from $6,630 a year at Brigham Young University-Hawaii to $30,760 a year at Chaminade University of Honolulu, a nearly fivefold gap for the same degree. Public options split the difference: University of Hawaii at Manoa charges $11,304, while University of Hawaii at Hilo and University of Hawaii-West Oahu both charge $7,344, the cheapest public path to a bachelor's business administration degree in the state.
Run the math on the cheapest strong public option. Four years at University of Hawaii at Hilo's $7,344 in-state rate costs $29,376 in tuition, assuming rates hold flat. Nationally, BLS wage data puts the median salary at $105,770 a year for management occupations, the field a business administration degree feeds into. Even assuming a graduate starts well below that national median in an entry-level role, a $29,376 total tuition bill gets recovered fast against six-figure management pay over a career; a private option like Chaminade, at $30,760 a year, or $123,040 across four years, needs stronger financial aid or a longer payback runway to pencil out the same way.
Cheaper isn't automatically the better deal. University of Hawaii at Manoa posts the highest graduation rate in the group, 64%, and the top Program Score among the state's public programs, 78.1, at a tuition rate only modestly above the public floor. Chaminade's higher private tuition buys a 55% graduation rate, the second highest in the group. Weigh the tuition bill against the graduation rate and admissions data before assuming the lowest sticker price wins.
Published annual tuition and required fees reported to IPEDS. Private schools charge one rate regardless of residency; public schools charge non-residents the out-of-state rate shown on each card.
Do Business Programs Require a Licensing Exam?
No. Business programs do not lead to a state licensure exam the way nursing, accounting, or law do. A BBA is a professional degree, not a licensed credential, so there is no board exam pass rate to report here and no state licensing board governing who can call themselves a business administration graduate.
That doesn't make the degree unregulated everywhere it touches. Graduates who move into accounting-heavy roles may eventually sit for the CPA exam, and those who move into project-heavy operations roles often add a Project Management Professional certification later in their career. Neither is required to graduate from a business administration program or to work in an entry-level management role, and neither substitutes for the school-level accreditation review covered next.
The Accreditation That Actually Matters for Business Programs
Programmatic accreditation from AACSB, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, is the standard employers and graduate schools recognize among business programs. Fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide hold it, according to AACSB, so it functions as a real filter, not a rubber stamp every college can claim.
Before you commit to any of the best business administration programs in Hawaii on this list or elsewhere, check the school's AACSB status directly on the accreditor's site rather than trusting a claim on an admissions page. Regional accreditation, the baseline every school here holds, confirms the institution itself is legitimate. AACSB accreditation is a second, higher bar specific to the business school, and it's the one that carries weight with recruiters and MBA admissions committees down the line.
Bachelor's vs. Other Business Administration Degree Levels
This ranking focuses on the Bachelor's degree because that's where the state's programs concentrate their data and their enrollment. All five ranked schools report Bachelor's-level outcomes to the U.S. Dept. of Education; not every school in this state reports usable numbers at the associate's or master's level, which is why those levels aren't separately ranked here.
If you already hold a bachelor's degree in another field, an MBA is the more common next step than a second bachelor's in business administration, and it runs as a two-year graduate commitment rather than a four-year one. If you're starting from a high school diploma, the Bachelor's is the direct path into entry-level management and analyst roles, and it's the credential these rankings are built to compare.
Online Programs in Hawaii
Format matters as much as sticker price for a lot of applicants. The public options, Manoa, Hilo, and West Oahu, run primarily as on-campus programs serving the state's full-time student population.
An online or hybrid path fits a working adult who already has a job and can't relocate to Oahu or the Big Island. It doesn't fit someone chasing the on-campus recruiting pipeline, student organizations, and in-person faculty access a flagship public campus like Manoa offers. Ask any school directly what share of required coursework runs online before assuming a business administration degree from a given school is fully remote; formats often blend in-person and online requirements even at schools known for distance options.
Business Programs and What They Lead To
A business administration degree functions as a general management degree: it prepares graduates for roles across finance, operations, and marketing functions rather than locking them into one specialty the way an accounting or finance degree does. Graduates of business programs move into roles like operations manager, marketing manager, and general manager, with paths toward senior top executive roles after years of experience.
Nationally, the BLS Occupational Outlook for Management Occupations puts the median salary for the field at $105,770 a year, a figure that applies broadly across the country and isn't specific to any one Hawaii school or graduate; treat it as context for the field, not a promise tied to a diploma. Pay varies enormously by role and industry inside that category, which is why the BLS wage data (OEWS) is worth checking role by role rather than relying on one blended number.
What a business administration degree guarantees is a seat at the table for those roles; it doesn't guarantee the top of the range. Someone straight out of a Bachelor's program in one of these programs in Hawaii should expect to start well under the $105,770 national median and build toward it over a decade of promotions.