Public
Accredited · Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Hilo, Hawaii
89.8% Acceptance Rate
University of Hawaii at Hilo — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
89.8%Acceptance Rate
3.36Avg GPA
1025Avg SAT
19Avg ACT
$20,914Annual Cost
$47,856Grad Salary
39.5%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
89.8%
Avg GPA
3.36
Avg SAT
1025
Avg ACT
19
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
SAT Middle 50%
898–1110
ACT Middle 50%
15–22
Avg Net Price
$12,063
Need-Based Aid
39.5% receive Pell
University of Hawaii at Hilo is a public university that emphasizes local, regional, and global perspectives in its academic programs. Admissions are based on a review of academic achievement and high school course patterns. The university looks for students who are ready to engage with its diverse, multicultural campus and who show potential for success in an environment that prioritizes hands-on learning and regional impact.
Applicants should highlight their involvement in extracurricular activities that reflect a respect for diverse perspectives or community service. Demonstrating an interest in the university's unique geographical and cultural setting can also be beneficial. A successful application shows that the student is ready for the transition to independent academic work in a supportive, geographically distinct university environment.
University of Hawaii at Hilo Acceptance Rate
University of Hawaii at Hilo (UHH) runs an open-access admission policy. With a 89.8% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 89.8% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.36 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.16 – 3.35
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.91
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
University of Hawaii at Hilo Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for University of Hawaii at Hilo is March 1 for Priority applicants, with additional plans listed below.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 205 days left — Priority
Priority
March 1
Regular
August 1
💡 The scholarship deadline (March 1, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
UHH GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at UHH is 3.36. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.06–3.36 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently. For an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.56–3.76.UHH GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.36 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.16 – 3.35
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.96 – 3.15
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.95
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Sliding-scale freshman admission: 2.7 GPA across 17 specific college-prep units; below that, SAT/ACT scores are required for review.
- $50 non-refundable application fee, waived for Hawaii residents and other eligible applicants.
- Home to the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy - the only PharmD program in the state of Hawaii.
- Ka Haka ?Ula O Ke?elik?lani College of Hawaiian Language offers the first U.S. graduate program centered on an Indigenous language (MA in Hawaiian Language and Literature).
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at UHH
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on University of Hawaii at Hilo's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
University of Hawaii at Hilo (UHH) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if UHH is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into UHH Without SAT or ACT?
UHH considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
University of Hawaii at Hilo Average SAT Score: 1025
The average SAT score of admitted students at University of Hawaii at Hilo is 1025 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1025 — Accessible
This average is on the lower end nationally, making a strong score here a genuine advantage.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1110 SAT or 22 ACT) to stand out. Below average? University of Hawaii at Hilo allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 898, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at UHH. Retaking multiple times is completely normal. Most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 480 | 420 | 540 |
| SAT Reading | 524 | 478 | 570 |
| SAT Composite | 1025 | 898 | 1110 |
Below 898, you're behind most admitted students; at 1110 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1050
Can I get into University of Hawaii at Hilo (UHH) with a 1100 SAT?
A 1100 SAT puts you ahead of most of UHH's admitted class, but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
University of Hawaii at Hilo (UHH) ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at UHH is 19.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 19 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national ACT mean.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 18 | 15 | 20 |
| ACT English | 18 | 14 | 21 |
| ACT Composite | 19 | 15 | 22 |
Can I get into University of Hawaii at Hilo with a 22 ACT?
A 22 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of UHH's admitted students. That's a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several that admissions weighs.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT scores four separate sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science, each on a 1–36 scale. A noticeably weak section, especially Science at STEM-focused schools, stands out to reviewers, so it's worth checking your section breakdown for outliers before applying.
Your ACT score clears the first filter, but GPA, course rigor, extracurricular depth, recommendations, and essays are what carry an application the rest of the way at UHH.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for UHH
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into UHH isn't the hard part. Building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
Play the Sliding-Scale Admission Correctly
Freshman admission runs on a 2.7 academic GPA across 17 specific college-prep units (4 English, 3 Math including Algebra II, 3 Natural Science, 7 additional college-prep electives). Students below that 2.7 threshold aren't rejected outright - they're reviewed on a sliding scale with SAT/ACT scores factored in - but there is no essay anywhere in this process, so the transcript's actual course pattern matters far more than any personal statement would.
Treat the Pharmacy Pathway as a Separate Track
The Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy is the only PharmD program in Hawaii, with an integrated Bachelor of Arts in Pharmacy Studies track feeding into it. Students aiming for pharmacy should map pre-pharmacy prerequisite sequencing in their first semester and treat DKICP's own application as a distinct, later gate - general UH Hilo admission does not carry a student into the PharmD program automatically.
Leverage the Hawaiian Language College's National Uniqueness
Ka Haka ?Ula O Ke?elik?lani offers the first graduate program in the U.S. centered on an Indigenous language and pairs naturally with the Hawaiian Studies BA. Students interested in linguistics, Indigenous studies, or education should surface any relevant coursework or community involvement connecting to language revitalization in scholarship materials - this niche draws applicants nationally for something no other mainland program replicates.
Cite Specific Research Access, Not Just Location
UH Hilo sits adjacent to the Mauna Kea observatories and houses the Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes - STEM applicants should name a specific opportunity (an observatory partnership, a volcanology field program, a marine science research track) in departmental scholarship applications or faculty outreach emails, since general admission requires no essay but department-level scholarships often do.
Expert Insight:
Because general admission requires no essay, families often assume no writing is ever needed here - but DKICP's PharmD application, the Honors Program, and most departmental scholarships carry their own separate essay or interview components. Students who skip writing prep entirely because "UH Hilo has no essay" get caught flat-footed by these later, program-specific requirements.
UHH Profile
Full Name
University of Hawaii at Hilo (UHH)
City
Hilo
State
Hawaii
ZIP Code
96720-4091
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission (WASCSR)
Is a UHH Degree Worth It?
At $20,914/year against a $47,856 median graduate salary, UHH is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation. The numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
The average household income among admitted students is $59,300, with a graduate unemployment rate of 4.66%.
How much does a degree from UHH Cost?
The sticker price is $20,914/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is closer to $12,063.
39.5% of students receive a Pell Grant and 29.9% take federal loans at UHH. File your FAFSA early and list UHH as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a UHH Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $47,856. That's about 18% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than University of Hawaii at Hilo. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State University | Montgomery, AL | 977 | 18 |
| University of West Alabama | Livingston, AL | 1015 | 20 |
| Baptist Health College Little Rock | Little Rock, AR | 980 | 20 |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | Denver, CO | 1014 | 20 |
| Colorado State University Pueblo | Pueblo, CO | 1005 | 22 |
| University of Bridgeport | Bridgeport, CT | 985 | NA |
| Delaware State University | Dover, DE | 984 | 24 |
| Trinity Baptist College | Jacksonville, FL | 1007 | 20 |
| Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | Tifton, GA | 994 | 19 |
| College of Coastal Georgia | Brunswick, GA | 1001 | 18 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as University of Hawaii at Hilo. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faulkner University | Montgomery, AL | 1016 | 20 |
| University of West Alabama | Livingston, AL | 1015 | 20 |
| Central Baptist College | Conway, AR | 1022 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton | Morrilton, AR | 1020 | 20 |
| Williams Baptist University | Walnut Ridge, AR | 1018 | 19 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than University of Hawaii at Hilo. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University at Montgomery | Montgomery, AL | 1090 | 21 |
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, AL | 1055 | 21 |
| Spring Hill College | Mobile, AL | 1090 | 22 |
| Troy University | Troy, AL | 1086 | 22 |
| Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, AZ | 1095 | 22 |
Degree Programs at UHH
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About UHH Admissions
Median earnings for University of Hawaii at Hilo graduates sit around $47,856 a year.
At about $20,914 a year, University of Hawaii at Hilo is on the more affordable end.
About 39.5% receive a Pell Grant at University of Hawaii at Hilo. The odds are moderate and largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 89.8%, University of Hawaii at Hilo's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at University of Hawaii at Hilo average a 3.36 GPA.
University of Hawaii at Hilo doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.06 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.96, University of Hawaii at Hilo becomes a harder reach, though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at University of Hawaii at Hilo — aim above 1025, ideally within the 898–1110 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for University of Hawaii at Hilo is March 1 for Priority applicants.
The application fee is 70. Fee waivers may be available. Check with admissions.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is March 1, 2026. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes, transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most, along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.