Misaki Takabayashi, Chancellor | LinkedIn
Misaki Takabayashi, Chancellor | LinkedIn
Of the 16 institutions in the county, five provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Hawaii Pacific University, University of Hawaii-West Oahu and University of Hawaii at Manoa.
At least 36,097 people applied to Honolulu County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 49,975 students enrolled in the universities, including 43,552 in undergraduate and 6,423 in graduate programs. In total 8.1% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of Asian (29.9%) and multiracial (25.6%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, University of Hawaii at Manoa stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 19,074 students.
U.S. college enrollment has been in a downward trend since peaking at around 18.1 million students in 2010. Recent increases offered some relief, but experts project a steeper decline in 2025.
This decline is likely due to two main factors. First, the pool of young adults is shrinking as birth rates have fallen nearly 23% between 2007 and 2022. Second, the rising cost of higher education, including skyrocketing student loan debt. A 2023 Wall Street Journal report shows that more than half of Americans think a four-year degree is not worth the cost.
NCES shows that enrollment data was not available for three institutions in Honolulu County, including Hawaii Tokai International College, Columbia College - USCG Base Honolulu and Institute of Clinical Acupuncture & Oriental Med.
Some educational data is based on estimates. Shifting demographics among student populations can sometimes result in gender totals which do not equal 100%.
| Institution | # of Applicants | # of Admitted Students | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu Community College | -- | -- | 3,069 |
| Kapiolani Community College | -- | -- | 5,828 |
| Hawaii Pacific University | 13,354 | 11,618 | 4,876 |
| Institute of Clinical Acupuncture & Oriental Med | -- | -- | -- |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu | 1,381 | 1,284 | 2,369 |
| Hawaii Institute of Hair Design | -- | -- | 52 |
| Leeward Community College | -- | -- | 6,221 |
| Pacific Rim Christian University | -- | -- | 131 |
| Windward Community College | -- | -- | 2,384 |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | 18,974 | 13,851 | 19,074 |
| Hawaii Medical College | -- | -- | 273 |
| Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 1,479 | 503 | 2,735 |
| University of Hawaii-West Oahu | 909 | 873 | 2,913 |
| Columbia College - USCG Base Honolulu | -- | -- | -- |
| Makana Esthetics Wellness Academy | -- | -- | 50 |
| Hawaii Tokai International College | -- | -- | -- |
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