- The Inkwell
- District of Columbia
- American University
Washington, DCCity: largeZIP 20016Founded 1893
- Sector
- Private nonprofit
- Founded
- 1893
- Carnegie class
- Doctoral: high research activity (R2)
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Federal aid since
- 1965
- Website
- www.american.edu
- Member of
- CUMU
District of ColumbiaReligious affiliationPrivate nonprofit
American University
American University is a private nonprofit university in Washington, District of Columbia, with 7,266 undergraduates. It admits 62% of applicants, graduates 75% within six years and costs $41,302 a year after aid.
75%graduate
Admission rate62%
Retention88%
4-year graduation66%
Pell Grant share18%
Federal loans40%
$41,302net price / year
62%admission rate
1381average SAT
75%graduate in 6 years
$85,458median earnings, 10 yrs
$22,250median debt
#140 of 1,704 for earnings#1,670 of 1,739 for lowest net price#259 of 1,738 for graduation rate#398 of 1,552 for selectivity
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $79,369tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $62,242
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $62,242
- Average net price
- $41,302national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$28,397
$30,001–48,000$19,487
$48,001–75,000$27,150
$75,001–110,000$31,984
$110,001+$53,571
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- 62%national median 77%
- Average SAT
- 1381
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- 660–740
- SAT math, middle 50%
- 620–720
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- 29–32
Against the national median
Admission rate · this college62%
Admission rate · U.S. median77%
Retention · this college88%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college75%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college18%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 75%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 66%
- First-year retention
- 88%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 80%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $64,737
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $85,458middle 50%: $58,575–$120,120
- Median debt at graduation
- $22,250
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$120,120
Median, American University$85,458
Lower quarter$58,575
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 7,266
- Part-time
- 2.8%
- Women / men
- 62% / 38%
- Average age at entry
- 19.7
- First-generation students
- 16%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 18%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 10 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 59%
- Average faculty salary
- $13,722 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $19,197
- Endowment, end of year
- $1,032,022,000
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White56%
Hispanic14%
Black8.2%
Asian7.4%
Two or more races5.9%
U.S. nonresident5.3%
Unknown3.2%
21 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Social sciences34%
Business & management11%
Communication & journalism8.5%
Multi/interdisciplinary studies7.9%
Visual & performing arts5.9%
Homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting5.7%
Psychology3.9%
Biological & biomedical sciences3.2%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Private nonprofit colleges in District of Columbia
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown University Washington, DC | $33,661 | 94% | $110,516 |
| Howard University Washington, DC | $33,002 | 74% | $69,682 |
| George Washington University Washington, DC | $35,760 | 82% | $96,691 |
| The Catholic University of America Washington, DC | $32,543 | 76% | $81,308 |
| Trinity Washington University Washington, DC | $12,820 | 55% | $57,561 |
| Gallaudet University Washington, DC | $27,398 | 52% | $49,334 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fordham University Bronx, NY | $42,760 | 81% | $92,809 |
| Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | $39,816 | 83% | $90,037 |
| Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA | $37,704 | 76% | $81,698 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY | $37,232 | 70% | $84,700 |
| Villanova University Villanova, PA | $41,536 | 93% | $115,382 |
| Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL | $36,340 | 72% | $78,431 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 131159. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q168000.