American University

Frequently asked questions

About American University

Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.

Where is American University located?

American University is located in Washington, DC, in the United States.

What type of institution is American University?

American University is a private university based in DC. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.

What is the acceptance rate at American University?

The most recently reported acceptance rate at American University is approximately 62% (IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024). Acceptance rate signals selectivity but does not predict any individual applicant's outcome and is not a measure of school quality. CampusPin reports the federally-published value; verify the current cycle with the institution.

What is the tuition at American University?

American University's published in-state tuition is approximately $58,771 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.

How many students attend American University?

American University reports total enrollment of approximately 12,321 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.

How much does American University actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at American University is approximately $41,943 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $23,233 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $53,673. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.

What is the graduation rate at American University?

American University reports a graduation rate of approximately 75% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.

How much student debt do graduates of American University have?

Students who borrowed at American University left with a median of approximately $22,750 in federal loans, and about 38% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.

How much do graduates of American University earn?

Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $77,370 for students who received federal financial aid at American University. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.

How should I verify final details about American University?

CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with American University.

How much do International Relations and National Security Studies graduates from American University earn?

American University's master's graduates in International Relations and National Security Studies earned a median $97,808 four years after graduating, about the same as the $95,627 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $69,872; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $61,500 in federal loans at this college (about $700 a month on a 10-year plan).

How much do Law graduates from American University earn?

American University's professional-degree graduates in Law earned a median $109,523 four years after graduating, about the same as the $107,773 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $73,725; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $161,696 in federal loans at this college (about $1,839 a month on a 10-year plan). For context, lawyers in District of Columbia are paid a median $195,190 a year across all experience levels (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025), a figure for everyone in the job, not only recent graduates.

Which programs at American University have the highest graduate earnings?

Among the 35 programs at American University with a federal earnings figure from at least 30 graduates, the highest medians four years after graduating were Finance, bachelor's ($134,332); Management Science, master's ($127,356); and Business Administration, master's ($127,269) (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). That order is one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality: earnings reflect the field and where graduates go to work as well as the program.

Does American University get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?

No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, American University's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $83,398, above the $34,635 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 nationally, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.