| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year college, one of the seven community colleges of the University of Hawaii; campus-based |
| Campuses | Manono campus in Hilo, Palamanui campus in Kona and the Ko Education Center in Honokaa; some programs use the UH Hilo campus |
| Credentials | 26 associate degree and certificate programs: A.A.S., A.S., A.A., Certificates of Achievement and Competence |
| Accreditation | ACCJC; reaffirmed for seven years in February 2026; nursing A.S. accredited by ACEN |
| Federal aid | Yes; 34% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants (College Scorecard) |
| 2026-27 tuition | $131 a credit for Hawaii residents, $345 for non-residents |
| Students | 2,489 in fall 2025 |
| Founded | 1941, in Hilo; on the Manono campus since 1956 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Hawaii Community College: the trade college for Hawaii Island
Hawaii Community College (Hawaii CC) is the University of Hawaii’s community college on Hawaii Island. It is not Honolulu Community College on Oahu, and it is a separate college from UH Hilo, although some of its programs meet on the UH Hilo campus. It was founded in Hilo in 1941, settled on the Manono Street campus in 1956, and also runs the Palamanui campus in Kona and the Ko Education Center in Honokaa. Enrollment was 2,489 in fall 2025, up 8.7% on a year earlier, according to the University of Hawaii.
Trade and technical programs at Hawaii CC
| Program | Credentials | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Technology | C.A., A.A.S. | Hilo | Valid driver’s license required; placement into Math 22 and English 21 |
| Auto Body Repair & Painting | C.A., A.A.S. | Hilo | Collision repair, welding and refinishing; driver’s license required |
| Diesel Mechanics | C.A., A.A.S. | Hilo | New students start only every 2 years: 2026, 2028, 2030 |
| Carpentry | C.A., A.A.S. | Hilo | Students build a house from foundation to finish; may earn credit toward an apprenticeship |
| Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology | C.A., A.A.S. | Hilo | Residential, commercial and industrial wiring to the National Electrical Code |
| Machine, Welding and Industrial Mechanics Technologies | C.O., C.A., A.A.S. | UH Hilo upper campus | Machining, welding and cutting, and industrial mechanics |
| Culinary Arts | C.A., A.A.S. | Hilo and Kona | Taught to American Culinary Federation skill standards |
| Hospitality and Tourism | C.O., C.A., A.A.S. | Hilo | Entry-level and supervisor jobs in the visitor industry |
| Practical Nursing | C.A. | Hilo | Approved by the Hawaii Board of Nursing; leads to the NCLEX-PN |
| Nursing (RN) | A.S. | Hilo, with a Palamanui cohort in Kona | ACEN accredited; leads to the NCLEX-RN; LPN-to-RN pathway |
The college also teaches agriculture, tropical forest and agroforestry management, fire science, electronics, engineering technology, information technology, early childhood education and community health work, and runs an Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Specialist certificate with UH Maui College.
What the main programs cover
Automotive, auto body and diesel
Automotive Technology prepares general mechanics and specialists in tune-ups and electrical systems, and Auto Body Repair and Painting teaches structural panel repair, welding and refinishing for collision shops. Both offer a Certificate of Achievement and an A.A.S. and require a valid driver’s license. Diesel Mechanics covers diesel engines, trucks, tractors, boats and heavy equipment, but admits new students only every two years, in 2026, 2028 and 2030, so check the next start before you apply.
Carpentry and electrical
Carpentry students build a basic house from foundation to finish while doing their coursework, and the college says apprenticeship programs may give credit for the work. Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology covers residential, commercial and industrial wiring, the National Electrical Code and blueprints, and is built to prepare apprentice electricians. Both offer a Certificate of Achievement and an A.A.S. Neither is a license: Hawaii journey worker electricians need 10,000 hours of work plus approved coursework before the state exam.
Machine, Welding and Industrial Mechanics
This program, taught on the UH Hilo upper campus, trains students for metalworking and maintenance jobs in construction, food processing, manufacturing, utilities and the island’s astronomical observatories. It covers machine tools, the common welding and cutting processes and industrial mechanics, with a Certificate of Competence, a Certificate of Achievement or an A.A.S.
Nursing
Hawaii CC has two nursing routes. The Certificate of Achievement in Practical Nursing, approved by the Hawaii Board of Nursing, leads to the NCLEX-PN for licensed practical nurses. The Associate in Science in Nursing, approved by the Board and accredited by ACEN, leads to the NCLEX-RN, with a generic track, an LPN-to-RN pathway and a cohort at the Palamanui campus in Kona. Transfer agreements with UH Hilo, UH Manoa and others let graduates continue to a bachelor’s.
Tuition and how students pay
UH community colleges charge the same rates statewide. The UH Board of Regents tuition schedule froze community-college tuition from 2023-24 through 2026-27, so 2026-27 lower-division tuition is $131 a credit for Hawaii residents and $345 for non-residents.
| 2026-27 tuition | Per credit | 12 credits a semester |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii resident | $131 | $1,572 |
| Non-resident | $345 | $4,140 |
Nursing students also pay a professional fee of up to $500 a term under the UH fee schedule, and the college posts a cost-of-attendance sheet for each program. Hawaii CC takes federal student aid: 34% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, and the average annual net price is $8,514, according to the College Scorecard.
Admission and schedules
Hawaii CC is an open-admission community college, but many trade programs need placement into set reading and math levels, and the automotive, auto body and diesel programs need a valid driver’s license. Nursing admits by application. Some general education classes are offered as distance education, but the shop and clinical parts of the trade and nursing programs are in person in Hilo or Kona.
Accreditation and results
Hawaii CC is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). After a peer review in March 2025, the Commission reaffirmed its accreditation for seven years in February 2026, according to the college’s accreditation page. The RN program is accredited by ACEN.
Federal figures are from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard (checked October 2026; cohort years vary by measure). The College Scorecard reports a 33.9% completion rate within 150% of normal time and median earnings of $40,335 ten years after students first enrolled.
Before you enroll
- Diesel Mechanics admits new students only in even years (2026, 2028, 2030).
- Most trade programs are taught in Hilo; from Kona, culinary arts and a nursing cohort are offered at Palamanui.
- Electrical and carpentry programs are a start toward a trade, not a license; Hawaii electricians need 10,000 hours of work before the journey worker exam.
- Hawaii CC and UH Hilo are separate colleges; check which one runs the program you want.
Campuses in Hilo, Kona and Honokaa
The main Manono campus is at 1175 Manono St, Hilo, HI 96720, and Machine, Welding and Industrial Mechanics and some business programs meet on the UH Hilo upper campus. The Palamanui campus is at 73-4225 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, and the Ko Education Center is in Honokaa.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Automotive and Diesel
- Automotive Technology (C.A., A.A.S.)
- Auto Body Repair & Painting (C.A., A.A.S.)
- Diesel Mechanics (C.A., A.A.S.)
Construction and Industrial Trades
- Carpentry (C.A., A.A.S.)
- Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology (C.A., A.A.S.)
- Machine, Welding and Industrial Mechanics Technologies (C.O., C.A., A.A.S.)
- Electronics Technology
- Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Specialist
Culinary and Hospitality
- Culinary Arts (C.A., A.A.S.; Hilo and Kona)
- Hospitality and Tourism (C.O., C.A., A.A.S.)
Nursing
- Practical Nursing (C.A.)
- Nursing (A.S.), including LPN-to-RN
Agriculture and Public Safety
- Agriculture
- Tropical Forest Ecosystem and Agroforestry Management
- Fire Science
Campus Locations
Hilo, HI 1175 Manono St, Hilo, HI 96720
Kailua-Kona, HI Hawaii CC - Palamanui, 73-4225 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740