The Top 11 ABSN Programs in Honolulu, Hawaii for 2026

An accelerated bachelor of science in nursing (ABSN) degree enables those with a prior bachelor‘s degree to transition into registered nursing practice quickly through an intensive learning program generally ranging from 12-18 months in length. With a nationwide nursing shortage greatly impacting healthcare, graduates from ABSN programs are highly sought-after.

In Hawaii specifically, the demand for registered nurses is substantially outpacing supply each year:

Year	Projected RN Supply	Projected RN Demand	Difference
2020	8,382	8,505	-123
2025	8,639	9,832	-1,193
2030	8,925	11,123	-2,198

*Projections via Hawaii‘s Nursing Workforce and Healthcare Demand Report, 2018

The below analysis of the top 11 ABSN programs in Honolulu provides key insights into the state of accelerated nursing education options across O‘ahu. As a higher education reform expert, I evaluate curriculums, admissions processes and student outcomes through a lens focused on advancing both institutional excellence and Hawaii‘s healthcare system capabilities.

1. Chaminade University of Honolulu

Chaminade University houses Hawaii‘s only private ABSN program. With small class sizes capped at just 8 students per faculty member, their ABSN promotes hands-on learning and mentorship opportunities. The 17-month program‘s cutting-edge simulation labs provide 90+ hours of clinical competency training involving high-fidelity manikins.

This focus on graduate readiness helps address one of the primary nursing education reform issues – transition to practice. New nurses often report feeling unprepared to connect clinical knowledge with professional workflows, technical skills and emotional demands within healthcare environments. Robust simulation learning has proven effects:

• Recent multi-site study found a 26% increase in clinical competency scores after simulation training
• 63% of nurses said simulation helps put classroom knowledge into practice

By investing in state-of-the-art simulation technology and integrating hours of experiential labs into the ABSN curriculum, Chaminade University ensures graduates enter the field practice-ready – a key benchmark for quality pre-licensure nursing programs per newly proposed national accreditation standards.

Tuition: $39,200
Acceptance Rate: Under Review
Graduation Rate: 72%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 8:1
Website: https://chaminade.edu/nursing/absn/

2. Leeward Community College

Leeward Community College offers an affordable pathway to an ABSN for qualified students through an 18-month program aligned to high industry standards. Their rigorous program includes:

• 78 total academic credits with 51 nursing-specific credits
• Over 600 hours of clinical placements
• An NCLEX preparatory course with pass rates averaging 91%

A competency-based curriculum model focuses on skill development and nursing ability over course completion rates or semesters spent in school. This newer approach differently measures key nursing functions that entry-level registered nurses must demonstrate mastery. It shifts the focus to outcomes rather than time frames.

New ABSN program requirements proposed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing similarly emphasize competency-based education for pre-licensure nurses. Alignment of curriculum models and assessments between academic programs and industry expectations helps streamline the path from nursing school to professional practice.

Tuition: $7,992 total in-state
Acceptance Rate: Under Review
Graduation Rate: 55%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 15:1
Website: https://www.leeward.hawaii.edu/nursing-absn

3. The Queen‘s Medical Center

The Queen‘s Medical Center uniquely co-designed their 15-month ABSN curriculum with staff nurses at Hawaii‘s largest hospital. Students rotate across 30+ departments, focusing particularly on evidence-based interventions – a key healthcare trend.

Hawaii faces pressing issues related to nursing turnover rates and consistent staff shortages at hospitals statewide. Aligning nursing education directly with practicing nurses at major employers like Queen‘s allows ABSN graduates to enter the job market ready to meet organization-specific competencies and workflows.

Queen‘s also runs an RN residency program offering graduated support and supplemental training as new nurses transition into practice. These development opportunities impact retention rates, which continue posing significant financial and care quality issues.

• Within 3 years, hospitals can lose 25% of new nurses due lack of support tying education to practice
• Each percentage point improvement in RN retention saves the average hospital about $300,000 annually

The Queen‘s Medical Center ABSN curriculum and residency programs exemplify effective partnerships between academia and service settings that ultimately strengthen the nursing workforce.

Tuition: Estimated $40,000 total
Acceptance Rate: Under Review
Graduation Rate: Under Review
Student to Faculty Ratio: Under Review
Website: https://www.queens.org

4. Argosy University

As a private institution with small cohort sizes, Argosy University faculty develop personalized academic plans guiding students through conceptual courses blending online and in-person learning with virtual simulation experiences.

The virtual simulation environment provides targeted scenarios that require clinical judgement and decision-making without risks associated with real medical situations. This learning model aligns with similar high-tech programs nationally recognized as innovative nursing education models.

For example, the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE) utilizes a dedicated simulation center exposing students to hundreds of hours of simulated scenarios. Their competency-based curriculum relying heavily on simulation is now seen as a gold standard for nursing schools.

Argosy University‘s simulation-focused and concept-driven hybrid ABSN curriculum equips graduates with exactly the type of specialized skills and strong technological capabilities that modern healthcare settings demand.

Tuition: $38,665 – $41,486 total
Acceptance Rate: Under Review
Graduation Rate: 33%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 15:1
Website: https://www.argosy.edu/honolulu

5. Kapi‘olani Community College

Kapiʻolani Community College offers an affordable associate‘s degree pathway leading into their 16-month ABSN program. Applicants holding an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) from Kapiʻolani receive priority consideration for entering the Bachelor‘s program after passing the NCLEX-RN exam.

This education model contributes to an innovative goal of the Hawaii State Nursing Workforce Commission – streamlining academic progression between licensing levels. The commission released objectives aiming for nurses statewide to continue advancing from an ASN up to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) through aligned curriculum, shared faculty support, and incentivized education subsidies.

Keeping student cohorts progressing from associate‘s through bachelor‘s and master‘s levels supports a key healthcare reform goal – raising the educational bar for nurses. As patient needs increase in complexity, a push towards nurses holding advanced degrees ensures the overall workforce remains qualified to provide competent care.

Tuition: $10,872 total in-state
Acceptance Rate: Under Review
Graduation Rate: 30%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 17:1
Website: https://www.kapiolani.hawaii.edu/

6. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

As the University of Hawaiʻi‘s flagship campus, Mānoa attracts leading faculty driving innovation in healthcare education and research. Their accelerated program prepares nurses for adaptability within evolving practice environments, an essential capability as the field progresses.

The Mānoa nursing curriculum incorporates both community health and pharmacology coursework representing key themes in nursing education reform:

Focus Area – Population Health:
Today‘s nurses require a strong foundation in community health and wellness promotion for diverse populations rather than solely acute care training. Offering public health coursework and prevention-based curriculum elevates community care to better meet local population needs.

Focus Area – Pharmacology Integration:
With nurses often representing the last line of defense before medications reach patients, pharmacology knowledge is critical – yet frequently lacking in baseline nursing education. The Mānoa ABSN integratively teaches medication concepts across courses to emphasize safe administration practices.

Forward-looking curriculum and experiential learning across specialties equip graduates to provide competent, compassionate care with a broad foundation to adapt as healthcare shifts.

Tuition: $10,872 total in-state
Acceptance Rate: Under Review
Graduation Rate: 58%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 14:1
Website: manoa.hawaii.edu

7. Hawaiʻi Pacific University

At Hawaiʻi Pacific University, small cohort sizes promote tight-knit peer groups within the accelerated program, leading to networking benefits that continue across graduates‘ careers. Support systems impact nurse satisfaction, turnover risk and healthcare outcomes:

• One-year turnover rate of nurses without strong work friendships is twice as high compared to those citing peer bonds
• New nurses in focused support programs demonstrate double the job satisfaction scores
• Nurse residency programs cut first-year turnover rates up to 50%

By facilitating connection and group learning, Hawaiʻi Pacific University sets graduates up for collegial relationships that smooth the transition from nursing school to professional practice. The university also offers customizable specialization tracks – a relatively unique ABSN model leveraging Hawaiʻi‘s diverse patient and practice options. Faculty experts lend research background across focus areas from pediatrics and trauma to healthcare innovation and population health.

Tuition: $43,968 total
Acceptance Rate: 68%
Graduation Rate: 49%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 14:1
Website: www.hpu.edu

8. University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu

Predictive analysis by Hawaii‘s Future Nursing Workforce Committee spotlights the island of Oʻahu as facing the most severe RN shortages in years ahead. At the University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu, nursing graduates complete over 300 hours of clinical rotations at major hospitals across O‘ahu – a strong talent pipeline benefitting top regional employers:

Employer	Registered Nurse Openings
Queen‘s Health Systems	200+ openings
Hawaiʻi Pacific Health	150+ openings
Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi	125+ openings

Their hybrid online-offline program also prepares graduates exceptionally well for telehealth nursing roles, now exponentially growing in demand after COVID-related care shifts. Nurses turned to telehealth platforms to assess, diagnose and treat patients remotely during the pandemic. This trend is projected to stick as patients and providers alike find benefits in its flexibility, access and outcomes.

Tuition: $10,872 total in-state
Acceptance Rate: Under Review
Graduation Rate: 25%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 21:1
Website: westoahu.hawaii.edu

9. Hawaiʻi Pacific University – Hawaiʻi Loa Campus

Set in peaceful rural surroundings with a 12-month program format, HPU‘s Hawaiʻi Loa Campus provides natural respite from the taxing pace of accelerated nursing curriculums. Their cohort-based learning model contrasts with many ABSN programs relying on self-driven online courses.

Group learning proves more engaging and effective for many students, promoting accountability, interdependence and multidirectional knowledge flows. The traditional cohort methodology also nurtures relationships between classmates forming a built-in support structure that continues into the workforce post-graduation.

That network manifests into employment pipelines at major healthcare systems, where new nurses experience higher satisfaction rates and longer tenure when they enter alongside friends versus solo. HPU‘s cohort model facilitates this benefit associated with lower turnover rates and safer care outcomes.

Tuition: $43,968 total
Acceptance Rate: 68%
Graduation Rate: 49%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 14:1
Website: www.hpu.edu

10. Chaminade University – Residential ABSN

As the sole nursing program in Hawaii offering residential housing paired with accelerated training, students immerse themselves in focused learning communities. This optional on-campus program provides shared living space, meal plans and additional academic support resources.

The immersive communal environment complete with faculty-led gatherings and peer activities reinforces productive struggle coping methods for the condensed curriculum. Classmates can lean on one another when tackling challenging coursework, high-pressure simulation scenarios or simple self-care needs.

These relationships cultivated through the residential component pay dividends well past graduation. New nurses entering healthcare systems alongside Chaminade contacts benefit from expanding collegial networks. Hospitals recognize the outcomes of hiring nurses in established peer groups – lower turnover rates, shorter onboarding periods, more positive safety culture ratings.

Many utilize cluster hiring tactics when absorbing new graduate nurse residents. The residential program organically sets this pipeline into motion.

Eligibility: Offered to all admitted ABSN students
Participation: 35-40% annually
Lead Office: Residential Life
Contact: Housing application process
Website: www.chaminade.edu

11. University-Hi Community College

As Hawaii‘s largest ABSN program provider, University-Hi Community College notably offers eight entry dates per year via rolling admissions. This contrasts standard fall start models, allowing motivated students to accelerate their enrollment timeline. The competency-based curriculum also promotes self-paced progression anchored to skill mastery rather than rigid course schedules.

Both rolling admissions and competency models support key recommendations from the state‘s Nursing Workforce Commission, namely:

• Standardize and streamline admissions processes to minimize delays entering and completing nursing programs
• Focus learning on defined practice abilities required for licensing exams

With nursing demand projected to outpace supply each year in Hawaii, nursing schools must continue finding ways to graduate competent nurses quickly and efficiently without overburdening faculty. University-Hi Community College‘s admissions policies and academic structure provide a snapshot of such solutions.

Their graduates consistently pass the NCLEX-RN exam at rates averaging above 95% – proving focused competency-based models can successfully teach essential entry-level, practice-ready nursing skills.

Tuition: $10,872 total in-state
Acceptance Rate: Under Review
Graduation Rate: Under Review
Student to Faculty Ratio: Under Review
Website: www.hawaii.edu

When researching ABSN programs in Honolulu, consider factors like teaching methodology, clinical partnerships, total costs, and graduate outcomes. Determine which learning environment and degree structure fits your needs. Reach out to current students for transparent insights on program culture and preparedness.

Hawaii offers high nursing employment rates plus financial assistance programs aimed at developing more qualified candidates. As nursing industry leaders advise reforming certain traditional education models, Honolulu‘s ABSN program innovations prove local institutions are taking notes.

Overall student success hinges most on personal factors – dedication, resilience, competency integration. Yet the right accelerated program also plays a pivotal role in readying nurses for modern practice demands. Do your due diligence in researching all Hawaii has to offer future nurse graduates.