What Kapi‘olani Community College does

Kapi'olani Community College is a public community college founded in 1946 in Honolulu, Hawai'i, and operated as one of ten colleges within the University of Hawai'i System under governance of the state Board of Regents. The institution offers more than 35 degree and certificate programs across liberal arts, healthcare (nursing, radiologic technology, respiratory care, medical lab technician, EMT, occupational therapy assistant), culinary arts (the only American Culinary Federation-accredited program in Hawai'i with a unique Pastry Arts specialization), hospitality and tourism, business and information technology, STEM (the only full-time STEM program in the UH Community College System), education, and Hawaiian Studies. It serves diverse student segments including high school early-admits, first-time college students, transfers, international F-1 visa holders from 100+ countries, veterans, and senior citizens aged 60+.

The institution runs on a state-funded revenue model combining resident tuition ($131/credit lower-level), non-resident tuition ($345/credit), federal Pell Grant administration (school code 001613), and auxiliary fees including a mandatory $40/semester U-PASS transportation fee, $25 diploma fees, and $7.50-$10.35 transcript fees. Core technology infrastructure is delivered through UH system-wide platforms: the STAR GPS (Guided Pathway to Graduation) registration system, Med+Proctor for immunization tracking across all 10 UH campuses, Laulima learning management system, and the MyUH student portal, supplemented by a 360-degree virtual campus tour for prospective student recruitment. The 44-acre Diamond Head campus comprises 20 buildings and supports both in-person and hybrid instruction.

Distribution and go-to-market leverage centralized UH System channels — including the apply.hawaii.edu unified application portal, dual admission pathways, and the Paul S. Honda International Center — to recruit from a broad geographic and demographic base. The college holds the #1 transfer rate among UH community colleges to four-year universities and is #1 among transfer students currently enrolled at UH Mānoa, making transfer pathway success the primary commercial outcome metric. ACCJC accreditation (reaffirmed in 2026 following Fall 2025 site visit) anchors federal aid eligibility and national credit transferability. As a state government entity, Kapi'olani CC has no external investors, no funding rounds, and no M&A activity; growth is driven by strategic plan execution (2023-2029), program expansion through facilities like the Culinary Institute of the Pacific, and integration of Native Hawaiian cultural values ('Kūlia i ka Nu'u – Strive for the Summit') as a brand and curriculum differentiator.

Name

Kapi‘olani Community College

Legal name

Kapi'olani Community College

Website

https://kapiolani.hawaii.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kapi'olani Community College is a public Honolulu community college within the University of Hawai'i System offering 35+ degree and certificate programs across healthcare, culinary arts, STEM, and liberal arts, serving resident, international, and veteran students with the #1 transfer rate among UH community colleges to four-year universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Community College

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Healthcare workforce training
• Culinary arts education
• Transfer pathway programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Per-credit tuition revenue from students. Resident tuition at $131/credit for lower-level courses, non-resident at $345/credit. Additional fees include application fees ($25 for non-residents), transcript fees ($7.50-$10.35), diploma fees ($25), and U-PASS transportation fees ($40/semester). Financial aid in the form of Pell Grants and other federal aid supports student enrollment.
2. Federal Financial Aid Administration: As an accredited institution, Kapi'olani CC participates in federal student aid programs including Pell Grants, enabling access to higher education for qualifying students. School code: 001613.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kapi‘olani Community College is a public community college providing associate degrees, certificates of achievement and competence, and continuing education across more than 35 programs in liberal arts, health sciences, culinary arts, hospitality, business and technology, STEM, education, and Hawaiian studies. Instruction is delivered on a 44-acre Diamond Head campus and via online/hybrid formats through University of Hawai‘i systems (STAR GPS, Laulima LMS, MyUH), with strong transfer pathways to UH four-year universities.

Product overview

Kapi'olani Community College is a community college offering a diverse portfolio of educational programs and services. The institution provides over 35 degree and certificate programs across multiple academic pathways including Liberal Arts, Health Sciences (with selective admission programs like Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Care), Culinary Arts (accredited by the American Culinary Federation with a renowned Pastry Arts specialization), Hospitality & Tourism, Business & Technology, Information Technology, STEM, Education, and Hawaiian Studies. The college operates as a living laboratory with state-of-the-art facilities including the developing Culinary Institute of the Pacific. Programs range from Associate in Arts/Science degrees to Certificates of Achievement, Certificates of Competence, and Advanced Professional Certificates. The institution also offers continuing education non-credit programs, senior citizen programs, and international education services through the Honda International Center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Culinary Institute of the Pacific: A state-of-the-art culinary facility at Diamond Head that will stand among prestigious culinary schools worldwide, offering programs in culinology and applied sciences.
• Paul S. Honda International Center
• Keko'olani Children's Center

Products and services

• Liberal Arts (AA)
• Health Science Programs
• Culinary Arts Program
• Hospitality & Tourism
• Business & Technology Programs
• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
• Hawaiian Studies
• Culinary Institute of the Pacific
• Continuing Education & Non-Credit Programs
• International Education

Quantifiable outcome

• #1 transfer rate among UH community colleges to four-year universities
• +2 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)coreOthersKapi'olani CC is accredited by ACCJC, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and U.S. Department of Education. This accreditation enables federal financial aid eligibility and ensures credit transferability to institutions across the nation.
• Med+ProctorcoreTechnology or IntegrationFree service partnered with UH System for collection and verification of health immunization records for all 10 UH campuses. Students upload required health documents including TB clearance, MMR, Tdap, and Varicella immunizations through this platform.
• National Student ClearinghousecoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial transcript ordering service enabling electronic and paper transcript delivery. Kapi'olani CC uses NSC for processing transcript requests with options for same-day electronic delivery, electronic exchange, and secure print mail.
• University of Hawai'i SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKapi'olani CC is one of ten colleges within the University of Hawai'i System. The institution participates in centralized systems including apply.hawaii.edu, MyUH portal, STAR registration, and shares governance under the UH Board of Regents.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hawai'i Community College: UH System community college on Hawai'i Island with similar associate degree and certificate offerings, sharing state appropriations, accreditation, and the STAR/MyUH technology stack. Comparable scale and mission.
• Kaua'i Community College: Smallest UH System community college on Kaua'i, sharing the same governance, accreditation, and centralized infrastructure. Comparable as a peer within the same statewide system competing for similar student segments.
• Culinary Institute of America: Premier private culinary school in the U.S. with ACF-accredited programs and a global reputation. Directly comparable to Kapi'olani CC's Culinary Arts program and the developing Culinary Institute of the Pacific as a peer in culinary higher education.
• Windward Community College: UH System community college on O'ahu's windward side, sharing the same state appropriation model, accreditation, and centralized student systems. Comparable in mission, scale, and program mix.
• Honolulu Community College: Fellow University of Hawai'i System community college located on O'ahu, sharing the same centralized admissions, STAR registration, and MyUH infrastructure. Most directly comparable peer given identical governance, student demographics, and O'ahu footprint.
• University of Hawai'i Maui College: UH System community college on Maui offering associate degrees, certificates, and select baccalaureate programs. Closest peer outside O'ahu with comparable workforce-aligned healthcare and trades programming and identical accreditation framework.
• Leeward Community College: Another UH System community college on O'ahu's leeward coast, offering associate degrees and certificates through shared UH infrastructure. Competes with Kapi'olani CC for the same O'ahu resident pool and UH transfer pathways.

Regional players

• Chaminade University of Honolulu: Private Catholic university on O'ahu offering undergraduate and graduate programs. Comparable as a Honolulu-based higher education competitor for in-state students, though mission and tuition model differ materially from Kapi'olani CC.
• Brigham Young University–Hawai'i: Private four-year university on O'ahu's north shore, partially subsidized for Latter-day Saint students. Comparable as a Hawaii-based higher-education institution competing for the same in-state student pool, but operates a different governance and funding model.

Broad incumbents

• Santa Monica College: One of the largest community colleges in the U.S. with a similarly diverse program portfolio (transfer, career-technical, international students). Useful comparable for understanding how a large public community college scales enrollment, transfer pathways, and tuition revenue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uhkapiolani
• Facebookfacebook.com/KapiolaniCommunityCollege
• Instagraminstagram.com/uhkapiolani
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/kapi'olani-community-college

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kapi‘olani Community College