Hawaii has 3 universities offering nurse practitioner programs across 5 NP specialties: FNP, PMHNP, AGACNP, AGPCNP, and pediatric primary care (PNP-PC). All three are in Honolulu. Students can choose MSN, DNP, and post-graduate certificate pathways. There is no in-state RN-to-MSN route, but non-nurses with a bachelor’s degree can enter a DNP directly.
Jump to: FNP (2) PMHNP (2) AGACNP (1) AGPCNP (1) PNP-PC (1)
The schools differ more by structure than by price. Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) is fully online with no campus visits. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UH Mānoa) is hybrid, DNP-only, and arranges clinical placements statewide. Chaminade University of Honolulu offers the state’s only pediatric NP program, with an annual campus immersion.
Compare Hawaii Nurse Practitioner Programs
| School | Specialties | Degrees | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) Honolulu | FNP PMHNP AGACNP | MSN • BSN-DNP • Certificate | Online |
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UH Mānoa) Honolulu | FNP PMHNP AGPCNP | BSN-DNP • Direct-entry DNP | Hybrid |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu Honolulu | PNP-PC | MSN • BSN-DNP • Post-doctoral certificate | Mostly Online |
Degree availability varies by specialty. HPU offers a DNP in FNP and AGACNP but not PMHNP. UH Mānoa’s direct-entry DNP for non-nurses covers FNP and AGPCNP. Format is consistent across each school’s specialties.
NP Programs by Specialty
Family Nurse Practitioner Programs
Two universities offer FNP programs, and they serve different students.
- HPU is fully online. It offers the state’s only FNP MSN and post-master’s certificate, plus a BSN-to-DNP with part-time and full-time plans. It admits FNP students in fall, spring, and summer.
- UH Mānoa offers the FNP only as a DNP, through BSN entry or its Graduate Entry Program in Nursing (GEPN) for non-nurses. It admits one full-time cohort each August and arranges clinical sites.
Compare all Hawaii FNP programs →
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Programs
Two universities offer PMHNP preparation, with no overlap in degree level.
- HPU offers an online MSN and post-master’s certificate, with no campus visits and no full-time requirement.
- UH Mānoa offers a full-time BSN-to-DNP with one August start and school-arranged placements. It states graduates may sit for either the ANCC or AANPCB PMHNP exam.
Nurses who want a PMHNP doctorate have one in-state option. Nurses who want an MSN or certificate also have one.
Compare all Hawaii PMHNP programs →
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP Programs
HPU is Hawaii’s only AGACNP school. It offers an online MSN, BSN-to-DNP, and post-master’s certificate. It requires no RN or acute care experience and recommends inpatient experience only. Clinical rotations run in hospital ICUs, trauma units, and emergency departments, with placement help but no guarantee.
Compare all Hawaii AGACNP programs →
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP Programs
UH Mānoa is Hawaii’s only AGPCNP school. It offers the specialty only as a full-time hybrid DNP, through BSN entry or GEPN direct entry for non-nurses. Hawaii has no in-state AGPCNP MSN or certificate.
Compare all Hawaii AGPCNP programs →
Pediatric Primary Care NP Programs
Chaminade is Hawaii’s only PNP school, and it prepares students for primary care only. It offers an MSN and a BSN-to-MSN-to-DNP that confers the MSN after about two years. Its certificate is post-doctoral, so MSN-prepared NPs are not eligible.
Admission requires a 2.75 GPA, with no GRE or RN experience requirement. Hawaii has no in-state pediatric acute care NP program.
Compare all Hawaii PNP programs →
Which Hawaii NP School Fits Your Goals?
No Campus Travel: HPU
HPU is the only Hawaii school with no required campus visits in any NP track. This matters most for neighbor-island nurses, since all three schools are in Honolulu.
School-Arranged Clinical Placements: UH Mānoa
UH Mānoa coordinates every clinical site, including rural and neighbor-island placements. It is the only Hawaii school documented as removing the preceptor search entirely.
Career Changers Without a Nursing Degree: UH Mānoa
UH Mānoa’s GEPN moves bachelor’s graduates from other fields through a pre-licensure year into an FNP or AGPCNP doctorate. No other Hawaii school offers non-nurse entry.
Pediatric NP Preparation: Chaminade
Chaminade is the only in-state option for nurses who want to specialize in children.
Adding a Specialty After an MSN: HPU
HPU offers Hawaii’s only post-master’s NP certificates, in FNP, PMHNP, and AGACNP.
Hawaii NP Programs by Entry Pathway
ADN or RN to NP Programs
No Hawaii school offers an ADN-to-MSN or RN-to-MSN NP pathway. Every in-state NP program requires a BSN, except UH Mānoa’s GEPN for non-nurses.
Non-Nursing Bachelor’s to DNP
UH Mānoa’s GEPN admits applicants with a bachelor’s degree in another field and no RN license.
- Specialties documented: FNP and AGPCNP
- Structure: an in-person pre-licensure year, NCLEX-RN, then the DNP; about 4 years total
- Timing: applications close October 30, 2026 for Fall 2027, about four months before the BSN-to-DNP deadline
BSN to MSN NP Programs
Two schools offer BSN-to-MSN NP programs:
- HPU: FNP, PMHNP, AGACNP
- Chaminade: PNP-PC
UH Mānoa offers no NP master’s degree. BSN nurses who want an MSN in AGPCNP have no in-state option.
BSN to DNP NP Programs
All three universities offer BSN-entry doctorates:
- HPU: FNP, AGACNP
- UH Mānoa: FNP, PMHNP, AGPCNP
- Chaminade: PNP-PC
Exit degrees differ. HPU and UH Mānoa confer no MSN along the way, so leaving before the DNP project ends with no graduate degree. Chaminade confers the MSN after about two years, so students can certify while finishing.
MSN to DNP Programs
No Hawaii school admits outside MSN-prepared nurses into an NP doctorate. Chaminade MSN graduates may move into its DNP within three years of conferral. HPU lists no DNP progression from its PMHNP MSN.
Post-Graduate NP Certificates
HPU offers Hawaii’s only post-master’s NP certificates, in FNP, PMHNP, and AGACNP.
- Gap analysis: Missing graduate core courses can add credits before clinicals begin.
- Clinical hours: HPU’s PMHNP certificate requires the same hours as the MSN, with no reduction for experienced APRNs.
- No in-state option: AGPCNP and post-master’s PNP certificates are not available in Hawaii.
What Do NP Programs Cost in Hawaii?
| School | Published Tuition Rate | Important Cost Context |
|---|---|---|
| HPU | $1,117–$1,156 per credit | Same rate for all students; AGACNP adds a $110 clinical fee per course |
| UH Mānoa | $1,001 resident; $1,896 nonresident (2026–27) | Only Hawaii school that charges nonresidents more; WICHE-state residents may qualify for a reduced rate |
| Chaminade | $1,205 per credit | Same rate regardless of residency; PNP-PC only |
Estimated tuition by equivalent pathway:
- MSN: $52K–$55K across HPU’s FNP, AGACNP, and PMHNP and Chaminade’s PNP-PC
- BSN-to-DNP: about $75K–$80K at UH Mānoa for Hawaii residents, about $82K at Chaminade, and about $83K–$84K at HPU
- Post-master’s certificate: $28K–$30K at HPU
- Nonresident DNP at UH Mānoa: roughly $142K–$146K
The lowest per-credit rate is not the lowest total. UH Mānoa has Hawaii’s lowest resident rate, but its programs are 75–77-credit doctorates. An MSN at HPU or Chaminade costs less in total than any in-state DNP. Residency changes the comparison most: HPU and Chaminade cost the same for every student, while UH Mānoa’s nonresident DNPs cost far more.
Online NP Programs in Hawaii
Attendance requirements are set at the school level in Hawaii, so the choice of school decides how often you travel.
No required campus attendance
- HPU: FNP, PMHNP, and AGACNP (all tracks)
Recurring campus attendance
- Chaminade: PNP-PC, a multi-day Honolulu immersion every year
- UH Mānoa: FNP, PMHNP, and AGPCNP, with orientation each semester or in-person requirements on Oʻahu; the GEPN pre-licensure year is in person
All three campuses are in Honolulu. For nurses on Maui, the Big Island, Kauaʻi, or Molokaʻi, each required visit means an inter-island flight. Only HPU avoids that cost entirely.
Clinical Placement and Practicum Requirements
| School | Placement Approach | Important Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| HPU | Faculty-assisted | Placement team helps find local sites; no guarantee |
| UH Mānoa | University-arranged | Sites assigned statewide; may require inter-island rotations |
| Chaminade | Not clearly stated | Confirm who secures preceptors before applying |
UH Mānoa’s model removes the preceptor search but can send Oʻahu-based students to neighbor-island sites. Clinical hours scale with degree level: MSN programs run about 624–750 hours, and documented DNPs exceed 1,000.
Choosing an NP Program in Hawaii
- Start with specialty. Three specialties have one in-state school each, and pediatric acute care has none. If you want AGACNP, AGPCNP, or pediatrics, your school choice is already made.
- Decide on MSN or DNP before comparing schools. UH Mānoa offers only doctorates. HPU and Chaminade offer master’s degrees.
- Check your schedule against cohort rules. UH Mānoa admits full-time cohorts once a year. HPU offers part-time plans and multiple start terms. Chaminade starts in Fall only.
- Weigh placement against travel. UH Mānoa arranges every site but has recurring Oʻahu requirements. HPU requires no travel but only assists with placement.
- Factor in residency. Out-of-state applicants pay the same at HPU and Chaminade but face much higher UH Mānoa tuition.
- Ask HPU about its accreditation review. On July 8, 2026, CCNE issued a show-cause directive for HPU’s master’s, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs. CCNE describes this as a statement of serious concern, not an adverse action, and the programs remain accredited.
FAQ
How many nurse practitioner schools are in Hawaii?
Three: Hawaii Pacific University, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and Chaminade University of Honolulu. Together they offer five NP specialties.
Which NP specialties are available in Hawaii?
- FNP: HPU, UH Mānoa
- PMHNP: HPU, UH Mānoa
- AGACNP: HPU
- AGPCNP: UH Mānoa
- PNP-PC: Chaminade
Are there online NP programs in Hawaii?
Yes. HPU’s FNP, PMHNP, and AGACNP programs require no campus visits. Chaminade requires an annual Honolulu immersion, and UH Mānoa is hybrid.
Can I become an NP in Hawaii with an ADN?
Not through an in-state school. Every Hawaii NP program requires a BSN, except UH Mānoa’s direct-entry DNP for non-nurses with a bachelor’s degree in another field.
Which Hawaii schools offer BSN-to-DNP programs?
All three. HPU offers FNP and AGACNP, UH Mānoa offers FNP, PMHNP, and AGPCNP, and Chaminade offers PNP-PC.
What are the lowest-cost NP options in Hawaii?
For a master’s degree, HPU’s and Chaminade’s MSNs run about $52K–$55K. For a doctorate, UH Mānoa’s resident BSN-to-DNP estimates of about $75K–$80K are the lowest in the state. Post-master’s certificates at HPU run $28K–$30K.
Does any Hawaii school arrange clinical placements?
Yes. UH Mānoa coordinates all clinical sites statewide, including neighbor-island locations. HPU helps students find sites without guaranteeing one.