| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public college in the University of Hawaii system: one of UH’s seven community colleges, which also awards a few bachelor’s degrees |
| Campus | Main campus in Kahului, Maui, plus education centers on Molokai and Lanai |
| Credentials | Certificates, associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees (applied business and IT, sustainable science management, nursing) |
| Accreditation | WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC); nursing ACEN, dental hygiene CODA, hospitality ACPHA |
| Federal aid | Yes; 23% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants (College Scorecard) |
| 2026-27 tuition | $131 a credit for Hawaii residents, $345 for non-residents; $318 and $858 for 300-level bachelor’s courses |
| Students | 2,997 in fall 2025 |
| Founded | 1931, as Maui Vocational School; UH Maui College since 2010 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
UH Maui College: the only college in Maui County
University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC) is the public college for Maui, Molokai and Lanai, and the only college in Maui County. It began in 1931 as Maui Vocational School, became Maui Technical School in 1958, joined the new UH community college system in 1965 and was Maui Community College from 1966 until the UH Board of Regents renamed it in 2010, because it had started offering bachelor’s degrees. It remains one of the seven UH community colleges. Enrollment was 2,997 in fall 2025, up 7.3% on a year earlier, according to the University of Hawaii.
Because it awards bachelor’s degrees, UHMC is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) rather than the community-college commission (ACCJC) that accredits the other UH community colleges.
Trade and career programs at UHMC
| Program | Credentials | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Technology | A.A.S. (68-71 credits) | 2 years full time | Aligned with ASE and NATEF; graduates can take ASE exams; valid driver’s license and own hand tools required |
| Construction Technology | C.O., C.A., A.A.S. (5-60 credits) | Depends on placement and credit load | General building construction with carpentry, drafting, welding, masonry and CAD; courses include Plumbing I and residential wiring |
| Culinary Arts / Baking & Pastry | A.A.S. (67 or 77 credits), C.A. (31), C.O. (19 or 20) | 2 years for the A.A.S. | American Culinary Federation accreditation listed on the program page |
| Hospitality and Tourism | C.O., C.A., A.A.S. (63-64 credits) | 2 years for the A.A.S. | ACPHA accredited; the college advertises a 90% job placement rate |
| Electronic & Computer Engineering Technology | C.A. (24-25 credits), A.S. (61-62) | – | Circuits, programming, networking and optics, with a pathway to a bachelor’s |
| Agriculture & Natural Resources | A.A.S. (60-62 credits), C.O. | – | Tropical crop production, horticulture and landscape maintenance |
| Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Specialist | C.O. (23 credits) | – | Cesspool conversion and septic work, with an internship; some classes online through Hawaii CC |
| Nursing career ladder | Nurse Assistant C.O. (6 credits); NA to Practical Nurse C.A. (45-56); LPN to A.S. in Nursing; B.S. in Nursing | Varies | ACEN accredited; graduates can sit the NCLEX-PN or NCLEX-RN |
| Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician | C.O. | Short certificates | Allied health certificates in the nursing department |
| Dental Hygiene | A.S. (84 credits) | About 66 weeks after admission | CODA accredited; a new cohort every 2 years |
What the main programs cover
Automotive Technology
The two-year Associate in Applied Science trains mechanics for automotive service and repair, with lab classes doing live service on real cars. The curriculum is aligned with ASE and NATEF standards, and graduates are eligible for the ASE certification tests. Students must keep a valid driver’s license for the whole program and buy their own basic hand tools, supplies, books and work clothes. Courses need placement into English 22 or higher, or instructor consent.
Construction Technology
Construction Technology teaches general building construction and maintenance and lets students try several trades before specializing: carpentry, drafting, welding, masonry and architectural CAD. Courses include building maintenance, Plumbing I, basic carpentry and residential and light commercial wiring. It offers a Certificate of Competence, a Certificate of Achievement and an A.A.S., and the A.A.S. transfers into UH West Oahu’s bachelor’s in facilities management. The college also runs short non-credit classes in carpentry, electrical and plumbing. For electricians, UHMC’s EdVenture office is one of the places Hawaii’s Board of Electricians and Plumbers lists for the coursework every journey worker electrician needs before the exam.
Culinary Arts and Baking
The culinary program is a career ladder in two specialties, culinary arts and baking and pastry: a Certificate of Competence (19 or 20 credits), a Certificate of Achievement (31 credits) and an A.A.S. of 67 credits (culinary) or 77 credits (baking). The college estimates the two-year degree at $8,810.50 in resident tuition for culinary and $10,125 for baking, plus about $1,600 for books and $585 for uniforms, knives and supplies. The program page says both A.A.S. degrees are accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation, but it lists an expiration date of 30 June 2024, so ask whether that accreditation has been renewed.
Nursing and allied health
UHMC’s nursing department runs a career ladder: a 6-credit Nurse Assistant certificate, a Nurse Assistant to Practical Nurse bridge certificate (45 to 56 credits) that leads to the NCLEX-PN, an LPN to Associate in Science in Nursing pathway (applications for the next cohort close 15 November 2026), and a 120-credit B.S. in Nursing. Nursing is accredited by ACEN, and graduates are eligible for the Hawaii LPN or RN exams. The department also offers Medical Assistant and Pharmacy Technician certificates, and Maui-based cohorts of Kapiolani CC’s radiologic technology, respiratory care and EMT programs. Clinical rotations at assigned sites are required, with no substitutes.
Dental Hygiene
The 84-credit A.S. in Dental Hygiene runs four semesters and a summer, about 66 weeks after admission, and admits a cohort every two years. It is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The 2025 cohort had 20 seats in Kahului and 4 on Hawaii Island (West Hawaii), and the program says all its graduates are licensed and employed.
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. UHMC also charges the four-year rate for 300-level courses in its bachelor’s programs.
| 2026-27 tuition | Per credit | 12 credits a semester |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii resident, lower division | $131 | $1,572 |
| Non-resident, lower division | $345 | $4,140 |
| Hawaii resident, 300-level and above | $318 | $3,816 (full-time rate) |
| Non-resident, 300-level and above | $858 | $10,296 (full-time rate) |
Program fees are extra: $500 a term for nursing and dental hygiene students, and $15 a credit, up to $180, for culinary majors, according to the college’s tuition and fees page. UHMC takes federal student aid: 23% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, and the average annual net price is $5,859, according to the College Scorecard.
Admission and schedules
UHMC is an open-admission community college, and high school students can take classes through Early College. Many programs add their own entry steps: placement levels for automotive, a selective application for nursing and dental hygiene, and cohorts that start only in certain years. Students on Molokai and Lanai can take some classes and continuing education at the UHMC education centers, but the shop and clinical parts of the trade and health programs are taught on Maui.
Accreditation and results
UHMC is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The college’s accreditation page posts the Commission’s July 2022 action letter after its last full review and a June 2026 action on its interim report. Several programs have their own accreditors: ACEN for nursing, the Commission on Dental Accreditation for dental hygiene, ACPHA for hospitality and the American Culinary Federation for culinary arts (see the note above).
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 24.5% completion rate within 150% of normal time and median earnings of $43,340 ten years after students first enrolled.
Before you enroll
- Electricians and plumbers in Hawaii need 10,000 hours of work before the journey worker exam; Construction Technology gives a start, not a license.
- Dental hygiene and some nursing pathways admit only every other year or once a year, with deadlines months ahead. Check the next start date first.
- The culinary program’s ACF accreditation date on its web page has passed; ask the program whether it is current.
- Molokai and Lanai students can start general classes at their education centers, but plan on time in Kahului for hands-on programs.
Kahului campus and education centers
The main campus is at 310 W. Kaahumanu Ave., Kahului, HI 96732, home to the trade, culinary, nursing and dental hygiene programs. The Molokai Education Center is at 375 Kamehameha V Hwy, Kaunakakai, HI 96748, with a UHMC farm in Hoolehua, and the Lanai Education Center is at 329 7th St, Lanai City, HI 96763.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Automotive and Construction
- Automotive Technology (A.A.S.)
- Construction Technology (C.O., C.A., A.A.S.)
- Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Specialist (C.O.)
Culinary and Hospitality
- Culinary Arts (C.O., C.A., A.A.S.)
- Baking & Pastry (C.O., A.A.S.)
- Hospitality and Tourism (C.O., C.A., A.A.S.)
Nursing and Allied Health
- Nursing Assistant (C.O.)
- Nurse Assistant to Practical Nurse (C.A.)
- LPN to Associate in Science in Nursing
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Medical Assistant (C.O.)
- Pharmacy Technician (C.O.)
- Dental Hygiene (A.S.)
Technology and Agriculture
- Electronic & Computer Engineering Technology (C.A., A.S.)
- Agriculture & Natural Resources (C.O., A.A.S.)
Campus Locations
Kahului (Maui), HI 310 W. Kaahumanu Ave., Kahului, HI 96732
Kaunakakai (Molokai), HI Molokai Education Center, 375 Kamehameha V Hwy, Kaunakakai, HI 96748
Lanai City (Lanai), HI Lanai Education Center, 329 7th St, Lanai City, HI 96763