The University of Hawaii at Manoa is among the five most affordable public colleges in the western U.S., while Brigham Young University Hawaii at Laie is among the four most affordable private colleges. Chaminade University of Honolulu is ranked 21st most affordable, according to the Great Value Colleges website.

Schools were ranked according to tuition price, six-year graduation rate, retention of freshmen, student-to-faculty ratio, percentage of classes entrusted to graduate students, average entrance ACT score, number of campus organizations, number of academic programs and Forbes ranking.

Authors prepared the list to offer insight into colleges and careers in western states, which generally are experiencing job growth rates above the national average.