American University
Washington, DC
School Background
2022 Undergraduate Enrollment: 8,158
Graduate Enrollment: 6,389
Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Highest degree awarded:
Graduate
Religious Affiliation:
United Methodist
Campus Details
Large City (>250k)
Four-year, large, highly residential
//
full-time, more selective, lower transfer-in
Applicant and Admittance Traits
2022 Admission Rate: 64.09%
Male/Female: 34% / 66% (2017)
First generation college students: 15.6% (2017)
Percentage of students who are married when enrolled: 0.6% (2017)
Percentage of students who are veterans: 0.4% (2010)
Test scores for admission: Considered but not required
Appliants applying to 2+ schools: 78.0% (2017)
Appliants applying to 3+ schools: 73.9% (2017)
Appliants applying to 4+ schools: 70.3% (2017)
Appliants applying to 5+ schools: 65.7% (2017)
Ethnicity Information
White: 55.4%
Black: 7.8%
Hispanic: 11.7%
Asian: 6.8%
American Indian/Alaska Native: 0.1%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.1%
2+ races: 5.1%
Non-resident alien: 9.9%
Unknown race: 3.2%
Black: 7.8%
Hispanic: 11.7%
Asian: 6.8%
American Indian/Alaska Native: 0.1%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.1%
2+ races: 5.1%
Non-resident alien: 9.9%
Unknown race: 3.2%
Costs & Fees
2022 Average Tuition & Fees (Room/Board/Books): $56,065
In-State tuition: $53,334Out-of-State tuition: $53,334
Estimated books and supplies: $800 (2022)
Estimated on-campus room & board: $15,150 (2022)
Estimated on-campus other fees: $1,228 (2022)
Estimated off-campus room & board: $15,150 (2022)
Estimated off-campus other fees: $1,228 (2022)
Average Family Income: $108,942 (2017)
Median Family Income: $84,200 (2017)
Scholarships & Financial Aid
Percentage of students receiving Pell Grant: 14.3%Percentage of students with Federal Loans: 33.4%
Median federal loan debt at graduation: $22,750 (2021)
Median federal loan payment: $241 (2021)
| Household Income | Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0-$30k | $10,818 |
| $30k-48k | $11,743 |
| $48k-75k | $15,197 |
| $75k-110k | $21,773 |
| $110k+ | $40,073 |
Graduate Outcomes & Job Placements
4-year graduation rate: 73%6-year graduation rate: 79%
1 year post-graduation workforce participation: 93.4% (2020)
Loans
Median federal debt for graduates: $22,750 (2021)Median federal debt for non-graduates: $8,750 (2021)
Median federal debt for first-generation graduates: $19,500 (2021)
Median federal debt for Pell grant recipient graduates: $19,500 (2021)
Ability to Repay Loans
| Graduates, % of Loans in Repayment (Non-delinquent/default) |
Percentage |
|---|---|
| @1 Year | 82.0% (2015) |
| @3 year | 86.2% (2017) |
| @5 year | 87.3% (2017) |
1-year Graduate % of Loans being Repaid (Non-delinquent/default) - Pell Grant Recipients: 66.5% (2015)
1-year Graduate % of Loans being Repaid - 1st Generation Attendees: 65.1% (2015)
Earnings Power
Median earnings, 1 year post graduation: $47,279 (2020)Median earnings, 4 years post graduation: $62,439 (2020)
Popular Majors
| Type of Degree | Major | 2022 Graduates | Median Federal Debt | Median Monthly Payment | 1yr Median Earnings (monthly gross) | 4yr Median Earnings (monthly gross) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master's Degree | Real Estate. | 6 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians. | 13 | $42,173 ($3,514) | |||
| Bachelor's Degree | Natural Resources Conservation and Research. | 25 | $26,905 | $277 | $24,208 ($2,017) | |
| Master's Degree | Natural Resources Conservation and Research. | 29 | $301 | $55,709 ($4,642) | $70,674 ($5,890) | |
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Area Studies. | 2 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Area Studies. | 22 | $27,000 | $265 | $30,354 ($2,530) | $52,509 ($4,376) |
| Bachelor's Degree | Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies. | 21 | $25,000 | $265 | $48,515 ($4,043) | |
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies. | 2 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Communication and Media Studies. | 28 | $22,611 | $240 | $41,361 ($3,447) | $64,488 ($5,374) |
| Master's Degree | Communication and Media Studies. | 86 | $583 | $62,195 ($5,183) | $87,484 ($7,290) | |
| Doctoral Degree | Communication and Media Studies. | 3 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Journalism. | 72 | $25,000 | $265 | $42,192 ($3,516) | $50,957 ($4,246) |
| Master's Degree | Journalism. | 34 | $637 | |||
| Bachelor's Degree | Design and Applied Arts. | 9 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate). | 29 | $24,375 | $258 | $42,945 ($3,579) | $64,040 ($5,337) |
| Bachelor's Degree | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. | 109 | $26,442 | $280 | $46,206 ($3,851) | $75,287 ($6,274) |
| Master's Degree | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. | 35 | $606 | $57,199 ($4,767) | $74,450 ($6,204) | |
| Bachelor's Degree | Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians. | 24 | $20,980 | $202 | $27,681 ($2,307) | $46,422 ($3,869) |
| Bachelor's Degree | Computer Science. | 17 | $65,995 ($5,500) | |||
| Master's Degree | Educational Administration and Supervision. | 48 | $499 | $69,599 ($5,800) | ||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research. | 2 | ||||
| Master's Degree | International and Comparative Education. | 25 | $448 | $51,664 ($4,305) | $80,425 ($6,702) | |
| Master's Degree | Special Education and Teaching. | 15 | $53,809 ($4,484) | |||
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | 1 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | 18 | $27,000 | $286 | $52,189 ($4,349) | |
| Master's Degree | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | 22 | $583 | $59,989 ($4,999) | $62,472 ($5,206) | |
| Master's Degree | Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language. | 7 | ||||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language. | 1 | ||||
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services. | 33 | $24,250 | $257 | $48,516 ($4,043) | |
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services. | 2 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. | 4 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. | 4 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services. | 40 | $583 | $49,908 ($4,159) | ||
| First Professional Degree | Law. | 407 | $1,839 | $65,460 ($5,455) | $92,991 ($7,749) | |
| Master's Degree | Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies. | 89 | $750 | $64,089 ($5,341) | $84,372 ($7,031) | |
| Doctoral Degree | Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies. | 6 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Legal Professions and Studies, Other. | 2 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies. | 11 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Literature. | 25 | $26,105 | $277 | $29,339 ($2,445) | $41,343 ($3,445) |
| Master's Degree | Literature. | 6 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Biology, General. | 16 | $19,866 | $209 | ||
| Master's Degree | Biology, General. | 9 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. | 5 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology. | 1 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Biotechnology. | 5 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Neurobiology and Neurosciences. | 15 | ||||
| Doctoral Degree | Neurobiology and Neurosciences. | 4 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Mathematics. | 10 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Applied Mathematics. | 3 | ||||
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Statistics. | 1 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Statistics. | 5 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Statistics. | 10 | ||||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Statistics. | 2 | ||||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Mathematics and Statistics, Other. | 5 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. | 37 | $707 | $58,563 ($4,880) | $80,653 ($6,721) | |
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. | 2 | ||||
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | International/Global Studies. | 2 | ||||
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | 27 | $22,673 | $240 | $46,225 ($3,852) | |
| Bachelor's Degree | Anthropology. | 14 | $27,000 | |||
| Master's Degree | Anthropology. | 9 | $42,505 ($3,542) | |||
| Doctoral Degree | Anthropology. | 2 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | 100 | $23,000 | $244 | $49,880 ($4,157) | $58,815 ($4,901) |
| Master's Degree | Health and Physical Education/Fitness. | 14 | $560 | |||
| Bachelor's Degree | Philosophy. | 13 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Philosophy. | 25 | $482 | $50,313 ($4,193) | $61,159 ($5,097) | |
| Bachelor's Degree | Religion/Religious Studies. | 5 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Chemistry. | 1 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Chemistry. | 2 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Physics. | 6 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Psychology, General. | 59 | $23,799 | $249 | $31,020 ($2,585) | $56,267 ($4,689) |
| Master's Degree | Psychology, General. | 25 | ||||
| Doctoral Degree | Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. | 3 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Criminal Justice and Corrections. | 67 | $23,250 | $246 | $44,033 ($3,669) | $61,255 ($5,105) |
| Master's Degree | Criminal Justice and Corrections. | 15 | $56,785 ($4,732) | $80,273 ($6,689) | ||
| Master's Degree | Homeland Security. | 35 | $466 | $60,877 ($5,073) | ||
| Master's Degree | Public Administration. | 206 | $626 | $72,770 ($6,064) | $97,983 ($8,165) | |
| Doctoral Degree | Public Administration. | 4 | ||||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Public Administration. | 6 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Public Policy Analysis. | 51 | $625 | $63,531 ($5,294) | $93,951 ($7,829) | |
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Public Policy Analysis. | 1 | ||||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other. | 1 | ||||
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Anthropology. | 1 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Economics. | 95 | $22,625 | $235 | $53,114 ($4,426) | $69,607 ($5,801) |
| Master's Degree | Economics. | 58 | $524 | $64,845 ($5,404) | $103,677 ($8,640) | |
| Doctoral Degree | Economics. | 16 | ||||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Economics. | 2 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | International Relations and National Security Studies. | 448 | $23,250 | $246 | $45,427 ($3,786) | $60,883 ($5,074) |
| Master's Degree | International Relations and National Security Studies. | 353 | $700 | $63,388 ($5,282) | $87,543 ($7,295) | |
| Doctoral Degree | International Relations and National Security Studies. | 3 | ||||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | International Relations and National Security Studies. | 1 | ||||
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Political Science and Government. | 37 | $23,250 | $246 | $48,554 ($4,046) | $64,391 ($5,366) |
| Bachelor's Degree | Political Science and Government. | 151 | $23,250 | $246 | $47,889 ($3,991) | $62,267 ($5,189) |
| Master's Degree | Political Science and Government. | 19 | $57,088 ($4,757) | |||
| Doctoral Degree | Political Science and Government. | 1 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Sociology. | 19 | $36,270 ($3,023) | $65,245 ($5,437) | ||
| Master's Degree | Sociology. | 5 | ||||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Sociology. | 1 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Dance. | 5 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Design and Applied Arts. | 6 | ||||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Design and Applied Arts. | 1 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. | 22 | $24,989 | $265 | $25,457 ($2,121) | $34,893 ($2,908) |
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. | 11 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Marketing. | 20 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Film/Video and Photographic Arts. | 53 | $23,250 | $233 | $27,848 ($2,321) | $58,692 ($4,891) |
| Master's Degree | Film/Video and Photographic Arts. | 44 | $756 | $43,479 ($3,623) | $52,423 ($4,369) | |
| Bachelor's Degree | Fine and Studio Arts. | 17 | $23,250 | $246 | $34,531 ($2,878) | |
| Master's Degree | Fine and Studio Arts. | 20 | $583 | $40,002 ($3,334) | $40,687 ($3,391) | |
| Bachelor's Degree | Music. | 8 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management. | 16 | $681 | $49,198 ($4,100) | $52,290 ($4,358) | |
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management. | 4 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Health and Medical Administrative Services. | 9 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Public Health. | 85 | $23,452 | $246 | $35,225 ($2,935) | $56,709 ($4,726) |
| Master's Degree | Public Health. | 15 | $56,145 ($4,679) | |||
| Bachelor's Degree | Business Administration, Management and Operations. | 213 | $24,697 | $260 | $53,757 ($4,480) | $78,264 ($6,522) |
| Master's Degree | Business Administration, Management and Operations. | 191 | $1,017 | $88,821 ($7,402) | $120,970 ($10,081) | |
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Business Administration, Management and Operations. | 1 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Accounting and Related Services. | 24 | $87,151 ($7,263) | |||
| Master's Degree | Accounting and Related Services. | 62 | $70,927 ($5,911) | $90,564 ($7,547) | ||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Accounting and Related Services. | 15 | ||||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations. | 1 | ||||
| Bachelor's Degree | Finance and Financial Management Services. | 50 | $22,625 | $240 | $77,647 ($6,471) | $86,053 ($7,171) |
| Master's Degree | Finance and Financial Management Services. | 51 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Human Resources Management and Services. | 1 | ||||
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | International Business. | 5 | ||||
| Master's Degree | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. | 96 | $583 | $88,910 ($7,409) | ||
| Master's Degree | Taxation. | 16 | $79,281 ($6,607) | $109,043 ($9,087) | ||
| Bachelor's Degree | History. | 36 | $26,000 | $276 | $41,327 ($3,444) | $56,450 ($4,704) |
| Master's Degree | History. | 21 | $466 | $40,622 ($3,385) | $59,645 ($4,970) | |
| Doctoral Degree | History. | 6 |
Campus Resources
Average faculty salary: $111,483Full time faculty: 54%
Undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio: 12.0
School's endowment start of year: $701,308,000 (2022)
School's endowment end of year: $884,305,000 (2022)