Online Nursing Schools in HI: Your Guide to the Best Programs
Hawaii has a number of nursing schools with online or hybrid options. This EduMed student guide details the types of nursing programs that can lead to certificates, associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in the state. This includes examples of bridge programs, where you can earn a higher-level degree faster than usual. We also dive into salary and career information, along with the steps to become a licensed RN in Hawaii.
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NursingNursing Ed.Online Nursing Programs in Hawaii: What’s Available?
Nursing programs in Hawaii include several online or hybrid choices that can easily fit your individual goals and needs. Whether you’re looking to earn a certificate to get a job as quickly as possible, or earn an undergraduate degree to become a licensed nurse, you have options.
The most common online nursing programs in Hawaii are hybrid and feature in-person classes and on-the-job clinical training as part of your degree or certification. In this guide, we explore some of the top-rated nursing schools in Hawaii, including the undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate, and bridge programs they offer online and on-campus.
Hawaii Undergraduate Nursing Programs – Online & Hybrid
There are several common pathways to start your career in nursing, and the examples below are just a few of the options you have in Hawaii. Because no associate or bachelor’s programs exist in the state, our list focuses on certificates, diplomas, and bridge programs.
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
This program for a CNA certificate is available in a hybrid format that includes mostly self-paced asynchronous online courses paired with a week of in-person classroom instruction. Among the classes are ones for basic medical terminology and systems, clinical skills, and communication with patients and the care team.
Example: Healthcare School of Hawaii
- Cost: $990
- Length: About 1 month
- Mode: Hybrid
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Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
The government of Hawaii has made this CNA to LPN program tuition-free thanks to a recent state house bill, and students who qualify can also apply for prerequisite course tuition assistance. It includes in-person clinicals along with online courses. Students must complete the TEAS entrance exam before admission.
Example: University of Hawaii – Maui College
- Cost: Free, with possible tuition costs for prerequisites
- Length: Six months
- Mode: Hybrid
Graduate and Post-Graduate Nursing Programs Online in HI
If you have already earned a bachelor’s or associate degree in nursing, you can enhance your education in a number of ways. You can earn a master’s or doctoral degree in Hawaii either online or through a hybrid program. Here are two great options to check out.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
A fully online program, this MSN degree course from Hawaii Pacific in Honolulu is for nurses with BSNs who want to advance in their careers and better influence patient outcomes through advanced learning. There are degree concentrations in family, psychiatric mental health, and adult-gerontology acute care nursing.
Example: Hawaii Pacific University
- Cost: Tuition is $47,925 to $51,120, depending on chosen track
- Length: 2.5 to 3 years
- Mode: Online
DNP and PhD Doctoral Programs
For the DNP program at Chaminade, online courses take place in 15-week terms with annual multi-day in-person immersions for the four tracks available: executive leader, family nurse, pediatric nurse, and psychiatric mental health nurse. Experienced advisors and professors are available and ready for support during each course.
Example: Chaminade University of Honolulu
- Cost: $38,590
- Length: Three to four years
- Mode: Hybrid
Options in Hawaii for Nursing Bridge Programs
Hawaii also features several bridge programs that can help nurses with degrees or certificates earn more education in a shorter time than the standard. Bridge programs often take at least one and sometimes two years off a regular bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate program. Here are the ones in Hawaii that feature hybrid or online components.
RN to BSN
UHM offers an option for licensed RNs to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing quickly while still maintaining their work life. The program includes mostly asynchronous online courses, with two in-person clinical labs as part of the curriculum. There are in-depth courses on population health nursing, genetics and genomics, and leadership techniques.
Example: University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Cost: Tuition is $14,130
- Length: One to two years
- Mode: Hybrid
BSN to DNP
The online BSN to DNP program at Hawaii Pacific is completely online and features three concentrations from which to choose: family nurse, psychiatric mental health, and adult-gerontology nurse practitioner. There are multiple start dates throughout the year for each specialty, and part of the curriculum covers NP licensing exams.
Example: Hawaii Pacific University
- Cost: Tuition is $76,680 to $79,875, depending on concentration
- Length: 2.5 to 3.5 years
- Mode: Online
Licensing Information for Hawaii RNs
You need to understand all of Hawaii’s professional requirements before embarking on your nursing education and applying for licensure. Below, we’ve detailed each step you need to become an RN in the state and what to expect after you have earned the license.
1 – Earn an Accredited Nursing Degree
You need to pick a degree program that qualifies you to take the NCLEX-RN exam. Aspiring RNs should choose between accredited nursing (ASN and BSN) programs from state-approved nursing schools. You’ll need to complete one of these programs in its entirety, including fully online or ones with in-person coursework and hands-on clinical training, to be able to take the licensing exam.
2 – Pass the NCLEX-RN Exam
You’ll pay a $200 fee to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing to take the NCLEX-RN test in Hawaii, in addition to a $40 application fee. You receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) email and then can go schedule your exam at a local testing center. The number of questions on the exam varies per year but typically is a minimum of 75 and up to 265 questions. You’ll have six hours to complete the exam.
3 – Apply for State Licensure
Prospective RNs need to apply through the Hawaii Board of Nursing to obtain RN licensure in the state. Required materials include a completed application form, official ASN or BSN transcripts, a copy of your government-issued photo ID, and a copy of your signed social security card. Applicants must also pass criminal history record checks and comply with electronic fingerprinting requirements before they receive a license. Completed applications must be submitted within 30 days of fingerprinting.
4 – Maintain and Renew Licensure
RN licenses in Hawaii expire on June 30 of every odd-numbered year. Applicants for licensure renewal in Hawaii must have 30 hours of continuing education credits, and those credits must be from Hawaii-approved continuing education providers. You can find a list of acceptable providers in the Hawaii Board of Nursing’s continuing competency booklet, and you’ll see that most of them are colleges, universities, or nurse-centric training organizations.
5 – Pursue Specialty Certifications (Optional)
If you want to continue on the best track to career advancement and providing the best quality care to patients, it’s a good idea to get additional nursing certifications for the areas that interest you the most. Among those are for nurse practitioners, critical care nurses, oncology-certified nurses, and certified nurse midwives. There are also certifications for nurse education, management and leadership, and nursing research that you can earn after you become an RN.
Expert Insight
You can earn several certificates that can help you land your dream job. For example, if you want to open your own birthing clinic one day, you can earn a nurse midwife certificate and a management/leadership certificate. You’ll gain hands on nurse midwife training, while also learning how to manage a health care business. Consider your long-term career goals before pursuing specialty certification.
Hawaii Career & Salary Outlook for Registered Nurses
| Area | 10th Percentile | Median | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $82,380 | $136,320 | $146,480 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $85,870 | $139,310 | $140,810 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $82,070 | $138,690 | $146,480 |
Source: Registered Nurses, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2024, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Data based on national numbers, not school-specific information.
