University of Hawaii at Manoa

Admission to the University of Hawaii at Manoa is quite accessible, though its national standing has experienced a gradual decline. In the 2027 US News National Universities Rankings, the institution placed at rank 186, continuing a downward trajectory from rank 159 in 2018. Gaining entry is relatively straightforward for most candidates, as reflected by an overall acceptance rate of 86.6% in 2025. This figure is higher than 70% of 30 similarly ranked public comprehensive universities, underscoring an inclusive admissions policy. At the same time, the school does not demonstrate a strong pull on those it admits. Its yield rate stood at 21.4% in 2025, meaning roughly one in five accepted students chose to enroll. For prospective applicants, these figures suggest that meeting basic academic requirements provides a high probability of acceptance. However, the relatively low yield rate and softening institutional rank indicate that many admitted students weigh the university against other alternatives before making a final commitment.

Standardized testing has become largely optional in practice at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, with only a small fraction of freshmen reporting examination results in 2025. For applicants who choose to evaluate their academic standing against enrolled students, the university reported a median SAT score of 1160, which was higher than 37% of peer public comprehensive universities. On the ACT, the middle fifty percent of test takers earned composite scores between the high teens and mid-twenties. For international candidates seeking benchmarks, applicant cases collected by Forward Pathway, which are unofficial data, show that accepted international students held a median unweighted high school grade point average of 3.5 and a median SAT score of 1165. These profiles indicate that admission standards are moderate and attainable. Prospective students with solid high school grades near a B-plus average and standardized scores around the national average can feel reasonably confident in their competitiveness during the review process.

Undergraduate studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa feature a balanced academic distribution rather than heavy concentration, with the top three bachelor's majors accounting for 17.1% of all bachelor's degrees awarded in 2025. The most popular undergraduate programs are general psychology, which graduated 282 students, followed by general marketing and general finance. However, the university's largest undergraduate fields are not its most prominently ranked disciplines. Instead, the institution's highest national recognition appears in specialized graduate programs and niche subjects. For instance, in the 2026 US News rankings, its medical school achieved a rank of 1 in primary care and 3 in research, while environmental law was ranked 18. At the undergraduate level, international business stood out at rank 23 in 2027. Salary outcomes also differ widely across disciplines. Based on 2023 earnings data, graduates in registered nursing led all bachelor's programs with median first-year earnings of $103,178. Students choosing majors should note that technical and healthcare fields offer the highest immediate financial returns.

The student body at the University of Hawaii at Manoa reflects a distinctive regional demographic, characterized by significant Asian representation alongside substantial Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. In 2025, total enrollment reached 20,028 students across undergraduate and graduate divisions. Asian students constitute the single largest racial group among incoming freshmen, accounting for 32.3% of the first-year cohort, while Pacific Islander students represent the second largest demographic. International students maintain a modest presence at the undergraduate level, making up 2.9% of incoming freshmen. However, global representation increases notably at the advanced study level, where international scholars account for 14.7% of the graduate student population. Across all levels, female students form a clear majority of the enrollment. For prospective students, this composition creates an academic community centered around local Pacific and Asian heritage, paired with a moderately international graduate research presence.

The age profile at the University of Hawaii at Manoa shows a sharp contrast between its undergraduate and graduate divisions. Undergraduate life is heavily anchored by traditional college-age students, with those aged 18 to 19 making up 36.2% of the undergraduate population and students aged 20 to 21 comprising another 33.7%. This heavy concentration means daytime campus life revolves predominantly around young adults entering university directly after high school. In contrast, graduate programs serve an older, more career-oriented group. Students aged 25 to 29 represent 30% of all graduate enrollments, accompanied by meaningful shares of students in their early twenties and thirties. This structure creates two distinct environments: an undergraduate community centered on traditional collegiate development and a graduate sector shaped by individuals pursuing specialized credentials or advanced career goals.

International student enrollment at the University of Hawaii at Manoa has remained stable over the past decade, with international scholars maintaining a substantially higher presence in advanced programs than in undergraduate classes. In 2025, international students made up 3.6% of the undergraduate student body, a proportion that is higher than 80% of peer public comprehensive universities. At the graduate level, international enrollment held steady at 14.7%, reflecting ongoing participation in advanced research and professional study. Among graduating cohorts, international representation increases progressively by degree level, moving from a small share among bachelor's recipients to a larger portion of doctoral earners. At the undergraduate level, international graduates are most visible in business fields such as general finance and general marketing. At the master's level, international representation is especially pronounced in technical disciplines, where international students comprised 31.8% of graduates in computer science.

Applicants exploring educational institutions in the broader geographic region can consider several mainland universities across California. San Francisco State University is a public institution ranked 227 among National Universities in the 2027 US News rankings. Nearby in the city, University of San Francisco is a private institution holding the rank of 116 in the same National Universities category. Along the central coast, University of California-Santa Cruz offers a public research university setting and is ranked 109. Further south in the Silicon Valley area, Santa Clara University is ranked 55 among National Universities. These institutions provide a variety of public and private options across diverse campus environments.

Campus safety at the University of Hawaii at Manoa has shown noticeable improvement over the past decade, with reported safety issues heavily dominated by administrative rule enforcement rather than violent crime. The crime rate per 1,000 students decreased significantly from 19 in 2016 to 5.9 in 2025. When looking at recorded incidents between 2023 and 2025, the overwhelming majority consisted of internal disciplinary actions. Disciplinary referrals for alcohol violations formed the largest category, totaling 661 incidents, while drug-related disciplinary referrals accounted for 343 incidents. Property crimes were less frequent but present, including motor vehicle thefts and general larceny, while violent offenses such as assaults remained uncommon. For prospective students and families evaluating campus security, these figures portray a low-violence environment where the primary safety challenges involve student substance infractions and campus property management rather than severe personal threats.