| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year college, one of the seven community colleges of the University of Hawaii; the only college on Kauai |
| Campus | 1 campus in Lihue, Kauai |
| Credentials | 34 degree and certificate programs: A.A.S., A.S., A.A. and Certificates of Achievement and Competence; non-credit training and apprenticeship classes |
| Accreditation | ACCJC; reaffirmed for seven years in January 2026; nursing ACEN, automotive ASE Education Foundation |
| Federal aid | Yes; 26% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants (College Scorecard) |
| 2026-27 tuition | $131 a credit for Hawaii residents, $345 for non-residents |
| Students | 1,324 in fall 2025 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Kauai Community College: Kauai’s public trade and career college
Kauai Community College (Kauai CC) is the University of Hawaii’s community college on Kauai and the island’s only college. From one campus in Lihue it offers 34 degree and certificate programs, non-credit training and apprenticeship classes through its Office of Continuing Education and Training, and bachelor’s and graduate degrees from other UH campuses through its University Center. Enrollment was 1,324 in fall 2025, according to the University of Hawaii.
Trade and career programs at Kauai CC
| Program | Credentials | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Technology | C.O.s, C.A.s, A.A.S. | 2 years for the A.A.S.; offered every year | ASE Education Foundation approved; hybrid and electric vehicle training; tools about $2,500 |
| Carpentry Technology | A.A.S. (66 credits) and certificates | 2 years | Prepares for a carpentry apprenticeship; course order depends on starting in an odd or even year |
| Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology | A.A.S. (62 credits) and certificates | 2 years | Prepares for the Hawaii Maintenance Electrician license test; certificates in solar installation and motor controls |
| Electronics Technology | Ask the college | – | Circuits, digital electronics, lasers, computers and networks |
| Culinary Arts | C.O. (8 or 14 credits), C.A., A.A.S. | Up to 2 years | American Culinary Federation accredited; graduates can pursue the ACF Certified Culinarian credential |
| Hospitality and Tourism | A.A.S. | – | Articulated with UH West Oahu’s bachelor’s in business |
| Nurse Aide | C.O. (5 credits) | 1 semester | Leads to the Hawaii nurse aide certification exam |
| Career Ladder Nursing | C.A. (practical nursing), A.S. (registered nursing) | 1 year to the C.A.; 2 years to the A.S. | ACEN accredited; NCLEX-PN after year one, NCLEX-RN after year two |
What the main programs cover
Automotive Technology
The automotive program is approved by the ASE Education Foundation and trains to its task lists, from engine repair and performance to transmissions, suspension and steering, brakes, electrical systems and air conditioning. It adds hybrid and electric vehicle training, with Certificates of Competence in hybrid and EV maintenance and diagnostics that build to a Certificate of Achievement in Automotive Green Technology. Further certificates (heavy line, electronics and computer controls, driveability, master automobile service technology) lead to the A.A.S. The two-year program starts every year, and tools and supplies cost about $2,500.
Carpentry Technology
The 66-credit A.A.S. teaches new construction, repair and renovation, blueprint reading, state energy codes and OSHA safety, with welding and shop tool courses in the first semester. It is designed to lead into a carpentry apprenticeship. Some courses run on a two-year cycle, so the college publishes separate course sequences for students who start in an odd year and an even year. Entry needs placement into ENG 106 and MATH 82X (or concurrent MATH 75X), or instructor approval.
Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology
The 62-credit A.A.S. prepares students for entry-level electrician jobs and specifically for the State of Hawaii Maintenance Electrician license test, teaching the National Electrical Code and energy codes. Shorter certificates cover skills such as solar energy system installation and industrial motor controls. It does not replace the 10,000 hours of work Hawaii requires before the journey worker electrician exam.
Nursing and nurse aide
The Nurse Aide Certificate of Competence is 5 credits (a 3-credit course and a 2-credit clinical lab), approved by the state, and leads to the Hawaii nurse aide certification exam; students need placement into ENG 100L and a BLS CPR card. The Career Ladder Nursing program admits a new class each fall. The first year (fall, spring and a 6-week summer session) earns a Certificate of Achievement and eligibility for the NCLEX-PN; a second year of two semesters earns the Associate in Science and eligibility for the NCLEX-RN. The program is accredited by ACEN, with Continuing Accreditation, and needs prerequisites with a 2.75 GPA and the TEAS exam. LPNs can enter the second year through an LPN-to-RN pathway.
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 automotive students should budget about $2,500 for tools. Kauai CC takes federal student aid: 26% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, and the average annual net price is $4,931, according to the College Scorecard.
Admission and schedules
Kauai CC is an open-admission community college. Trade programs set English and math placement levels, nursing admits by application each fall, and some programs can be taken on a part-time schedule. The college offers some distance-education classes, but the shop and clinical parts of its trade and nursing programs are on the Lihue campus.
Accreditation and results
Kauai CC is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). At its January 2026 meeting the Commission reaffirmed the college’s accreditation for seven years, with no compliance requirements and a commendation for its commitment to Hawaiian culture; its next report is due in October 2029. Nursing is accredited by ACEN, automotive is approved by the ASE Education Foundation, and the American Culinary Federation reaffirmed the culinary A.A.S. in 2022.
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 46.7% completion rate within 150% of normal time and median earnings of $44,323 ten years after students first enrolled.
Before you enroll
- The electrical A.A.S. prepares for the Maintenance Electrician test, not the journey worker license, which needs 10,000 hours of work.
- Carpentry courses follow a two-year cycle; ask an advisor which track fits your start date.
- Nursing admits once a year, in the fall, and needs a 2.75 GPA in prerequisites and the TEAS exam.
- Budget about $2,500 for automotive tools on top of tuition.
One campus in Lihue
Kauai CC’s campus is at 3-1901 Kaumualii Hwy, Lihue, HI 96766, and holds all its trade, culinary and nursing programs, the Office of Continuing Education and Training and the University Center.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Automotive and Electrical
- Automotive Technology (C.O.s, C.A.s, A.A.S.)
- Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology (A.A.S., certificates)
- Electronics Technology
Construction
- Carpentry Technology (A.A.S.)
- Apprenticeship Training Program (non-credit)
Culinary and Hospitality
- Culinary Arts (C.O., C.A., A.A.S.)
- Hospitality and Tourism (A.A.S.)
Nursing
- Nurse Aide (C.O.)
- Career Ladder Nursing (C.A. practical nursing, A.S. registered nursing)
Campus Locations
Lihue, HI 3-1901 Kaumualii Hwy, Lihue, HI 96766