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Hilo , HI
The University of Hawaii at Hilo, located on the Big Island of Hawaii, is a public university that offers a diverse range of academic programs. With a focus on environmental conservation, sustainable agriculture, indigenous language and culture preservation, and tropical medicine, UH Hilo provides a unique education experience. The university prides itself on its small class sizes, allowing for more personal attention from professors and fostering a tight-knit community among students.
At UH Hilo, students have access to a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate programs in fields such as natural sciences, social sciences, business, education, and arts and humanities. The university prioritizes experiential learning, providing students with numerous research opportunities and internships. The campus is known for its beautiful scenery, surrounded by lush rainforests and stunning beaches, creating a peaceful and inspiring environment for academic and personal growth.
In addition to academics, UH Hilo offers a vibrant campus life with various clubs, organizations, and sports teams. Students can engage in cultural activities, community service, and leadership development programs. The university also encourages students to explore the unique Hawaiian culture and traditions, facilitating their understanding and appreciation of the local community. With its commitment to academic excellence, community engagement, and environmental stewardship, the University of Hawaii at Hilo provides students with a well-rounded education that prepares them for successful careers and meaningful contributions to society.
University of Hawaii at Hilo is a public university located in Hilo, HI and set in a rural environment. This school follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 60%. The freshman retention rate at University of Hawaii at Hilo is 72.75% and the six-year graduation rate is 48%.
For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is July 1. For transfer students, the application deadline is July 1.
Find out more about what you can expect if you get into University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Quick Facts
2,292
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
12:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
48%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Learn some relevant information about admission policy and requirements at University of Hawaii at Hilo.
According to the newest data, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 1,396 in 2025.
Test Scores
14.87% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 43.73% submitted ACT scores, out of the overall number of those who submitted test scores. 1.96% of the enrolled students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 17.65% between 1,200 and 1,399, 49.02% between 1,000 and 1,199, and 31.37% between 800 and 999. The percent of incoming freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 24-29 was 18.44, 37.59 in the range between 18-23 and 43.97 between 12-17.
The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 3.51. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by July 1. For transfer students, note that the application deadline is July 1.
Retention Rate
The student retention rate is the percentage of students who re-enroll from one year to the next. Why is that information important? Because it tells you if the majority of freshmen enjoyed their first year at a school enough to come back.
The freshman retention rate for University of Hawaii at Hilo was 72.75% in 2025, demonstrating the exceptional quality of the educational experience at this institution.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. This academic institution has the six-year graduation rate of 48%.
Student Body
Making the choice of which school is the right match for you is not easy. You can better comprehend the culture and life of the school by getting to know more about the student body.
Main Student Body
The overall number of students enrolled at University of Hawaii at Hilo in 2025 was 2,668.
That year, the school had 27.24% of students coming from another state. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the institution was 2,292, 99 of which were foreign students. 325 students were accepted as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
With a coeducational student body, the school had 770 male and 1,267 female full-time students in 2025. This school had 173 full-time graduate male and 260 full-time graduate female students at this school.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of students of Asian origin was 281, while the number of African American students was 30. 357 students at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 749 identified with more than one race. The school also had 208 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 8 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 3 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Financial planning for school is one of the most important things to consider before you apply. Here are some details you should know about the cost of attendance for University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about University of Hawaii at Hilo estimated tuition price.
According to the reports from public county and municipal institutions, tuition fees were $7,488 for area residents. Tuition fees were $20,448 for students coming from out of state. For the students coming from abroad, tuition at this school was $20,448, as well. Fees per academic year required of full-time students summed up to $770 in 2025.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $20,448 | $770 | $21,218 |
| In-State | $7,488 | $770 | $8,258 |
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to think about the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. Most students have to pay about $1,406 for books and supplies during their time at University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Boarding
When choosing a college, you should factor in the price of a dorm room and meals at the school cafeteria. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for room and board?
In 2025, the price of room and board at University of Hawaii at Hilo was $11,842 per academic year. If you only needed a dormitory room, you had to pay $3,544 for the 2025 academic year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 7,488 |
| Room and Board | $ 11,842 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,406 |
| Total Expense | $ 20,736 |
Financial Aid
Obtaining some financial aid in forms of grants, loans, scholarships or work-study programs can be very important for finishing your studies. If you wish to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at University of Hawaii at Hilo, here are some recent data you should consider.
Need-based
Need-based aid is financial aid that a student can receive if they are determened to have financial need and meet other eligibility criteria.
Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at University of Hawaii at Hilo is available to international students.
Majors
Faculty
12:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio is the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
In 2025, this ratio at University of Hawaii at Hilo was 12:1. That means that there were 12 times more students than teachers at this school. The total number of faculty teaching at the institution is 245. Out of that number, there were 114 men and 131 women. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school is telling of the importance gender equality has at University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at University of Hawaii at Hilo: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Check out some information about campus life at University of Hawaii at Hilo.
It has a campus size of 115 acres.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
There is a drama club you can join if acting is something that interests you. Interested in media and communication? University of Hawaii at Hilo publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
FAQ
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University of Hawaii at Hilo is located in Hilo, HI.
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University of Hawaii at Hilo offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for University of Hawaii at Hilo is 60%.
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The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for University of Hawaii at Hilo is 72.75%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.