Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Honolulu, Hawaii
84.5% Acceptance Rate
Hawaii Pacific University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
84.5%Acceptance Rate
3.56Avg GPA
1180Avg SAT
25Avg ACT
$49,980Annual Cost
$59,593Grad Salary
20%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
84.5%
Avg GPA
3.56
Avg SAT
1180
Avg ACT
25
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
SAT Middle 50%
1068–1280
ACT Middle 50%
21–29
Need-Based Aid
20% receive Pell
Hawaii Pacific University is a private, career-focused institution that leverages its unique location to offer global perspectives and hands-on learning. Known for its diverse and supportive community, the university provides a professional education that integrates academic knowledge with practical experience across a wide range of fields.
Hawaii Pacific University Acceptance Rate
Hawaii Pacific University runs an open-access admission policy. With a 84.5% 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 — 84.5% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.56 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.36 – 3.55
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.11
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Hawaii Pacific University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Hawaii Pacific University follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline, though the priority deadline of November 15 is recommended for the best chances of admission and financial aid.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 97 days left — Early Action
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Hawaii Pacific University reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
Early Action
November 15
Decision by: December 15
Priority
January 15
Decision by: February 15
💡 The scholarship deadline (Merit scholarship priority: 2026/01/15) 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.
Hawaii Pacific University GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Hawaii Pacific University is 3.56. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.26 and 3.56? A strong standardized test score is worth prioritizing.
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 3.76–3.96.Hawaii Pacific University GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Selective; solid academic performance is expected.
Recommended Strategy: Focus on a Strong 'Spike' in extracurriculars or research.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.56 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.36 – 3.55
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.16 – 3.35
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.15
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Rolling admission; $45 application fee; test scores, essay, and recommendation letters are all optional for first-year applicants.
- Automatic merit scholarships (no separate application) range roughly $3,000-$16,000/year based on GPA; average GPA of enrolled students is reported around 3.58-3.74 depending on source.
- HPU has no medical school but holds an early-acceptance partnership with LECOM for medicine and dentistry - a meaningful pre-health hook not widely advertised outside program-specific pages.
- Marine science instruction uses real field infrastructure: the 42-foot research vessel Kaholo and dedicated labs at the Oceanic Institute in Makapu?u, distinct from the main downtown Honolulu campus.
- 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 Hawaii Pacific University
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Hawaii Pacific University'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.
Hawaii Pacific University Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Hawaii Pacific University is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Hawaii Pacific University Without SAT or ACT?
Hawaii Pacific University considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Hawaii Pacific University Average SAT Score: 1180
The average SAT score of admitted students at Hawaii Pacific University is 1180 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1180 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national mean SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1280 SAT or 29 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Hawaii Pacific University allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1068, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Hawaii Pacific University. 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 | 575 | 520 | 630 |
| SAT Reading | 599 | 548 | 650 |
| SAT Composite | 1180 | 1068 | 1280 |
Below 1068, you're behind most admitted students; at 1280 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 1200
Can I get into Hawaii Pacific University with a 1300 SAT?
A 1300 SAT puts you ahead of most of Hawaii Pacific University'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.
Hawaii Pacific University ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Hawaii Pacific University is 25.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 25 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average ACT score.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 22 | 18 | 26 |
| ACT English | 24 | 19 | 28 |
| ACT Composite | 25 | 21 | 29 |
Can I get into Hawaii Pacific University with a 29 ACT?
A 29 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Hawaii Pacific University'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 Hawaii Pacific University.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Hawaii Pacific University
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Hawaii Pacific University takes a broad view of applicants. Your energy is best spent proving readiness for coursework and maximizing your financial aid package.
Skip the Optional Essay Unless You Have a Specific Marine/Ocean-Adjacent Story - Then Write It Toward the Kaholo, Not Generic "I Love the Ocean" Language
HPU doesn't require a personal statement for first-year admission, but for marine biology, marine affairs, or oceanography applicants, a short optional essay referencing hands-on work aboard HPU's actual 42-foot research vessel, Kaholo, or the Oceanic Institute/Makapu?u facilities signals genuine program fit in a way generic "I've always loved the ocean" essays don't. Reviewers in these small, faculty-intensive science programs are specifically looking for applicants who understand HPU's marine programs involve real fieldwork infrastructure, not just coastal-campus atmosphere - naming the vessel or facility by name is a low-effort, high-signal move most applicants skip.
Understand That Admission Is Rolling and Near-Automatic, So Spend Effort on the Automatic Merit Scholarship Band Instead
HPU's first-year process requires only transcripts and the $45 fee - test scores, essay, and recommendations are all optional - and new students are automatically evaluated for merit scholarships (roughly $3,000-$16,000/year depending on GPA) with no separate application. Because the admission bar itself isn't the constraint, the actual strategic lever is GPA optimization in the final two years of high school: a student who raises their GPA into a higher scholarship band by senior year captures real additional aid without doing anything programmatically different in the application itself.
Leverage the LECOM Early-Assurance Pathway for Pre-Med/Pre-Dental Students Instead of a Traditional Post-Bac Track
HPU has no medical school of its own, but maintains an early-acceptance partnership with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) for medicine and dentistry - a structural feature that lets a pre-health student secure a conditional medical/dental school seat while still an HPU undergraduate, rather than facing the traditional standalone post-bac med school application cycle. Pre-med applicants should raise interest in the LECOM pathway explicitly with their admissions counselor at the application stage, since early-assurance program enrollment typically requires declared intent and specific prerequisite sequencing from freshman year.
For Nursing or Marine Science, Confirm Which of HPU's Four Physically Separate Campuses the Program Actually Uses
HPU operates across four distinct sites - the downtown Honolulu campus, the residential Hawai'i Loa/Windward campus, the Oceanic Institute, and a military campus - and specific majors are anchored to specific locations (marine science labs and the Makapu?u facilities are Windward/Oceanic Institute-based; general education and many majors run downtown). A student choosing HPU for marine biology but picturing a downtown-Honolulu college experience (or vice versa) is picturing the wrong campus; advisors should confirm campus assignment by major before enrollment, not after move-in.
Expert Insight:
Because HPU's general first-year process is nearly frictionless (no essay, no test scores, no fee-waiver hurdles), families sometimes fail to distinguish HPU's genuinely selective, faculty-mentored programs - marine biology, marine affairs, nursing - from the broad general-admission pool; these programs have real capacity constraints (small cohort sizes, single research vessel, limited lab seats) that aren't reflected anywhere in HPU's overall acceptance-rate marketing.
Hawaii Pacific University Profile
Full Name
Hawaii Pacific University
City
Honolulu
State
Hawaii
ZIP Code
96813
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission (WASCSR)
Is a Hawaii Pacific University Degree Worth It?
Whether Hawaii Pacific University is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals. Here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $72,800, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.65%.
How much does a degree from Hawaii Pacific University Cost?
The sticker price is $49,980/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
20% of students receive a Pell Grant and 25.3% take federal loans at Hawaii Pacific University. File your FAFSA early and list Hawaii Pacific University as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Hawaii Pacific University Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $59,593. That's about 47% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Hawaii Pacific University. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO | 1140 | 25 |
| Western Colorado University | Gunnison, CO | 1130 | 25 |
| Lynn University | Boca Raton, FL | 1136 | 25 |
| Florida International University | Miami, FL | 1154 | 23 |
| University of West Florida | Pensacola, FL | 1137 | 24 |
| Georgia College & State University | Milledgeville, GA | 1150 | 24 |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta, GA | 1149 | 23 |
| Toccoa Falls College | Toccoa Falls, GA | 1155 | 23 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Hawaii Pacific University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | 1190 | NA |
| Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 1182 | 25 |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, GA | 1178 | 25 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Hawaii Pacific University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 1251 | 26 |
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Prescott, AZ | 1256 | 27 |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs, AR | 1222 | 26 |
| Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR | 1212 | 25 |
Degree Programs at Hawaii Pacific University
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Hawaii Pacific University Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Hawaii Pacific University run about $59,593 a year.
Hawaii Pacific University costs roughly $49,980 a year, and most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
Hawaii Pacific University's Pell Grant rate of 20.0% sits below the national average. Merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 84.5%, Hawaii Pacific University's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Hawaii Pacific University average a 3.56 GPA.
Hawaii Pacific University doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.26 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.16, Hawaii Pacific University 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 Hawaii Pacific University — aim above 1180, ideally within the 1068–1280 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Hawaii Pacific University is November 15 for Early Action applicants. Admission decisions are released by December 15. Rolling Admissions is also offered, so applying early improves your chances.
The application fee is 55. Fee waivers may be available. Check with admissions.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Merit scholarship priority: 2026/01/15. 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.