Back to results
UniversityprivateVerified data

American University

Washington, DC

Tuition

$58,771

Acceptance

62%

Students

12,795

Type

University

Setting

Urban

Distance from home

Open map

Cost & Financial Aid

In-State Tuition

$58,771

Out-of-State Tuition

$58,771

Avg On-Campus Living

$17,982

Avg Off-Campus Living

$19,336

Financial Aid & Outcomes

CollegeScorecard · 2024

What will it actually cost?

Sticker price$76,753
Net price (after aid)$41,943

Most students pay the net price after financial aid, not the sticker price.

Net price by family income

$0 – $30k$23,233
$30k – $48k$20,444
$48k – $75k$26,035
$75k – $110k$30,063
$110k+$53,673

After graduation

Median earnings (10yr)$77,370
Median debt at graduation$22,750
Est. monthly loan payment$241

Earnings-to-debt ratio

Strong · 3.4×

Graduates earn about 3.4× their median debt every year.

Financial access

Students on Pell Grants14%

Pell Grants are federal aid for students from low-income families.

Students with federal loans38%

Share of students who borrowed to pay for school.

Some fields may not be reported by this institution. Verify final details with the school directly.

How does cost line up with outcomes across colleges? See our analysis of college cost vs. graduation and earnings, an association shaped by selectivity and sector, not proof a pricier college pays off.

Student Outcomes

Graduation Rate

75%

Freshman Retention

88%

Source: CollegeScorecard (2024)

Final aid offers, scholarships, and net price vary per family. Always verify with the school's financial aid office.

Scholarships available

Decision support · Cost & value

Quick Decision Highlights

The strongest cost, aid, and value reasons to consider this school.

Outcomes

Strong post-grad earnings

Median earnings 10 yrs out are above the graduate average.

This school$77.4k
National avg$48k
Source: CollegeScorecard 2024

Strong completion rate

75% above avg

Strong year-1 retention

88% above avg

Scholarships available

Aid signal

Affordability snapshot

Tuition

$58.8k

Net price

$41.9k

Pell

14%

Median debt

$22.8k

below avg

Earnings (10y)

$77.4k

above avg

“Avg” comparisons reference national IPEDS / College Scorecard averages (~2022–23); figures are directional and vary by school and year.

Admissions

Acceptance rate

62%

SAT range

1300 - 1450

ACT range

29 - 33

Actions

Visit WebsiteView AdmissionsApply via Common App

Pin this school

Keep it saved while you compare options.

Report incorrect data

Location

Loading map...
UniversitiesCommunity Colleges1 school

Institution does not report this

Washington, DC 20016

Academics

Studying online: a substantial share study entirely online

In Fall 2023, 1,122 of American University's 13,019 students (9%) were enrolled entirely at a distance. A further 2,092 (16%) took at least one distance course alongside in-person study.

Distance-education figures count STUDENTS enrolled in Fall 2023, not programs on offer. "Exclusively at a distance" means a student took only distance courses that term. A college with few or no such students may still run online courses or an online degree, so a low figure is not evidence that online study is unavailable, and a high one is not a judgement of quality either way.

U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Fall Enrollment (distance education status), Fall 2023

Fields of study

American University reported conferring credentials in 81 different fields to the federal government. See which ones, and at what credential level.

Campus & Student Life

Area Safety Rating

Similar schools

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%. 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. 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 12,795 students (undergraduate plus graduate). 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%. 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.

Fields this college awarded credentials in

The 14 largest of 81 fields American University reported, by credentials conferred in 2023-24, using the federal classification of each field. The level is the highest credential actually awarded, which is not always the one a field is best known for.

Fields American University reported conferring credentials in during 2023-24, with the number awarded and the highest credential level.
FieldAwardedLevel
International Relations and National Security Studies794Graduate403 graduate · 391 bachelor's
Law378Graduate
Business Administration, Management and Operations324Graduate109 graduate · 215 bachelor's
Political Science and Government288Graduate28 graduate · 208 bachelor's · 52 certificate
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other174Bachelor's107 bachelor's · 67 certificate
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods173Graduate150 graduate · 23 bachelor's
Public Administration162Graduate
Criminal Justice and Corrections154Graduate34 graduate · 120 bachelor's
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies153Graduate
Economics120Graduate48 graduate · 72 bachelor's
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods109Graduate
Psychology, General109Graduate24 graduate · 85 bachelor's
Educational Administration and Supervision101Graduate
Public Policy Analysis98Graduate

Fields are as classified in the federal IPEDS completions collection, which records credentials already conferred. A field listed here was awarded in the reporting year; it does not confirm the program is currently admitting students, and a field CampusPin has no guide for is still shown under its official federal title. Confirm current offerings with the institution.

Data sources & methodology

Reporting period: 2024Last verified: June 10, 2026

Facts on this profile of American University are compiled from federal datasets and the institution's own published information.

Sources used across this page

Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.

Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.

Suggested citation

CampusPin. (2024). American University, college profile. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/american-university

About this information

CampusPin compiles college information from recent publicly available data, including federal and institutional sources. College information can change as institutions and public agencies release new data.

Represent American University?

Claim your CampusPin institution page to review and manage your profile, and help keep your institution's information current. Verified representatives can update profile details directly; figures published by federal agencies are updated through CampusPin's review process.

Create a free account →