American University
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Overview
Founded in 1893, American University is located in a large city with a population of more than 250,000. It is in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV area.
Highlights
Undergraduate program with the highest reported starting salary (): Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Largest undergraduate program (448): International Relations and Affairs
Address
4400 Massachusetts Ave Nw
Washington, DC 20016
WWW.AMERICAN.EDU
Additional links
SOURCES:
Accreditation:
best
Institutional Control
American University is a private not-for-profit organization.
Denomination
United Methodist
SOURCES:
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Accreditation
Accreditation provides important oversight over a school's instructional practices and institutional stability.
American University holds an accreditation from one of the seven regional accreditors, which should ensure that credits earned transfer easily to other schools.
Accreditation History
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (Accredited January 1, 1928 - present)
  • The next accreditation review is scheduled for December 31, 2024.
Undergraduate Students
Not all students attend their first college full time to completion. While some schools are focused on those that population, many schools focus on transfer and or part time students. What types of of student does this school support.
Full-time first-time students
Full-time transfer students
Part-time first-time students
Part-time transfer students
SOURCES:
Admissions
SAT/ACT Scores
This table offers a hint of how high your test scores might need to be if you attend. For reference, a quarter of attending students earned lower, and a quarter earned higher.
SAT TestMiddle 50%
ERW630 to 710
Math590 to 680
 
ACT TestMiddle 50%
Composite27 to 32
Context: Average High School GPA
American University did not report the average high school GPA of it's students.
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Admissions Details
Here are some important dates and little tidbits. Please double-check this information on the American University's webpage for the most up-to-date and accurate answers! We update this information with each school's annual reporting, but information can change unexpectedly. Select any item to view the details.
Admissions Criteria & Qualifications
Admissions Criteria & Qualifications
American University lists the following admissions priorities and requirements:
Very Important: level of applicant's interest, rigor of secondary school record, and academic GPA
Important: extracurricular activities, character/personal qualities, volunteer work, talent/ability, application essay, and recommendation(s)
Considered: alumni/ae relation, work experience, standardized test scores, racial/ethnic status, geographical residence, and first generation
Not Considered: state residency, religious affiliation/commitment, class rank, and interview
A high school diploma or GED is required.
Application Fee & Common App
Application Fee & Common App
American University has an undergraduate application fee of $75, and accepts the Common Application for both first-year and transfer applicants. Keep in mind that it never hurts to inquire with an Admissions office to see whether they might be willing to waive your application fee.
Freshman application dates
Freshman application dates
The application deadline for fall admission to American University is January 15. Fall applicants are notified by April 1.
American University also has an early decision program.
Acceptances can be deferred if a gap period is desired -- check with the admissions office.
Early Decision
Early Decision
American University has an early decision program. At most colleges and universities, the early decision application is a commitment to attend if accepted. Last year, 962 students applied for early decision acceptance to American University, and 803 were admitted. The main early decision application deadline is November 15, with decisions sent on December 31. The secondary early application deadline is November 15, with corresponding decisions sent on February 15.
Waiting List
Waiting List
American University has a policy of placing students on a waiting list. Last year, 5,158 students were offered a place on the waiting list, 1,657 students accepted a spot, and 133 students were admitted through the waiting list.
Transfer application information
Transfer application information
The application deadline for fall transfer admission is May 1. Transfer students can begin studies in fall, spring or summer.
Credits accepted from new students
Credits accepted from new students
American University accepts the following credits:
  • Transfer credits from accredited institutions
  • CLEP subject for transfers
  • ACE recommendations for credit
  • Dual credit (college credit earned while in high school)
  • Advanced placement (AP) credits
Percentage of applicants who are accepted
A low percentage here can indicate that a school is highly selective. We think this is one of the least important numbers for you to consider.
Selectivity can be misleading
You may have heard that a high rejection rate is an indicator of a good school. However, this number can be gamed, and some schools started gaming the system to perform better in college ratings books and sites. Ididio believes a combination of good outcomes (e.g. successful graduation rates and loan repayments) along with indicators of a well-prepared student body (e.g. test scores and high school records) are the best indicators of a good academic experience for those who attend. Our advice is that you don't pay too much attention to this number as you decide whether you might be admitted.
29%33%0%20%40%60%80%100%WomenMen
SOURCES:
Percentage of accepted students who choose to attend
This is called the yield, and it suggests whether this was a first-choice school or a back-up school for most applicants. Even the most prestigious Ivy League schools lose about a third of their accepted students come enrollment time.
32%28%0%20%40%60%80%100%WomenMen
SOURCES:
Programs
American University program offerings
What award level are you pursuing?
Bachelor's Degree
Select a degree to see the details, or use the sankey below to explore the options.
Select a degree
Order degrees by.
Program Size (Completions)
American UniversityInternational Relations a...Business Administration a...Political Science and Gov...Public RelationsSpecialized Study in Mult...EconomicsPublic HealthJournalismCriminal Justice and Safe...PsychologyAll other degreesTop 10 matching degrees
Social Sciences
Business
General/Interdisciplinary
Quantitative/Technology
Community Services
Humanities
Costs
Undergraduate costs
Here's a quick summary of costs to attend American University. You will find the most up-to-date information at their website for admissions.
View
All
Charge
Annual fees
Annual tuition
Estimated books and supplies
Miscellaneous (living off campus)
Miscellaneous (living on campus)
Miscellaneous (living with family)
Off-campus room and board
On-campus room and board
Per-credit charges
Cost
$819
$49,070
$800
$909
$909
$1,609
$16,096
$16,096
$1,635
SOURCES:
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Net price: the best estimate for the cost to attend
Most schools publish tuition rates that give them room to offer both scholarships and financial aid where applicable. Your best estimate of what might pay is to see what others with similar family incomes have paid. A more tailored and accurate estimate is available at this school's net price calculator.
Understanding net price

With their net price calculators, many colleges and universities give an idea of what merit-based aid might accompany need-based aid. For schools that share such data, we also provide financial aid data in the Finanical Aid sections.

There are some caveats to consider when using the net price estimates:

  • The net price calculation is weighted by this school's proportion of students living on- and off-campus and this school's estimate of off-campus costs, which may cause the net price methodology be a bit inconsistent from school to school.
  • Parental income and student financial aid eligibility is sometimes more complicated than the simple family income number reported here.
  • The net price calculation for all students is inclusive of students who received any institutional or government aid, but at the family income levels the net price only considers the tuition paid by those who qualified for federal aid.

You can get a little better guess at what you would pay by using this school's net price calculator.

Percentage of students receiving any aid
The donut, based on 1,780 full-time first-time degree seeking students at American University, shows the percentage of those who received any financial aid (including merit-based scholarships), subdivided by family income.
65%
Aid type and family income
Federal: $0-30K
Federal: $30K-48K
Federal: $48K-75K
Federal: $75K-110K
Federal: Above $110K
Only institutional
Net price by family income
All Incomes
Let's look over the past few years at what freshmen who received any financial aid actually paid for tuition, fees, books, and living expenses on average, and how that compares to the tuition usually paid for other private universities in your context group. Public universities only report net price for in-state students.
20112012201320142015201620172018$0$20,000$40,000$60,000
Chart explanation
American University
On the blue curve, we see how the net annual cost to attend American University has changed over the years.
Context Schools
The shading shows the spread of the net price for the context schools. The dark shading shows the middle 50% of context schools, and the light shading shows all but the smallest and largest 10%.
Customize your context group using the gear at the top of the page!
Not so much?
Historic Annual Costs
See how this school's published costs have changed over the years, and how their cost trends compare with other private schools.
Published costs may have little to do with what you actually pay

It's important to remember that a school's published costs may not be indicative of what it will actually cost to attend. Time magazine wrote about this in their article Yes, you can get a college to cut its tuition price. Nonetheless, this inflation-adjusted look at the historic annual costs for tuition, fees, books, and supplies can give you an idea of the costs you might expect in the coming years. Comparing the total costs inclusive of room and board (if applicable) with the annual net price estimates in the previous tab will help you determine the financial aid package to expect.

Private and public universities' charges are difficult to compare due to the in-state and out-of-state price differences of public universities, and therefore we only compare American University to other private schools within your chosen context group.

Include room and board
Undergraduate tuition, fees, books, and supplies over time
20122013201420152016201720182019$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000
Chart explanation
American University
On the blue curve, we see how the published annual cost to attend American University has changed over the years.
Context Schools
The shading shows the spread of the annual cost for the context schools. The dark shading shows the middle 50% of context schools, and the light shading shows all but the smallest and largest 10%.
Customize your context group using the gear at the top of the page!
Financial Aid
Student Financial Need
How likely are you to get a scholarship if you attend? This section covers the likelihood that students with or without need are receiving financial aid. You can see this data for the full-time degree-seeking undergraduate student population as a whole or for full-time freshmen only.
Choose a student group
Full-time undergraduates
Full-time freshmen
Context: Need met for full-time undergraduates
American University uses institutional methodology to determine if a student needs aid. According to their benchmark, they believe that 75% of full-time degree-seeking undergraduate need has been met. In general, the funds that close the gap between the cost of attendance (COA) and the expected family contribution (EFC) is filled by student loans, but some schools distribute enough financial aid to make sure this is not necessary. Visit the financial aid website to explore what promises American Universitymakes.
75%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Overview of student need and resources used (Full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students)
The average annual financial aid package received by full-time degree-seeking undergraduates who were identified to have need totals $35,942, of which on average $4,273 is in the form of loans.
Student financial need
Have need
No need
0%20%40%60%80%100%Percentage with aid by typeNeed-based GrantsNeed-based self-helpNon-need-based Grants
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Financial aid overview

Understanding the rules and process that determine who gets financial aid can be intimidating. Here are some quick links to help:

  • Visit American University's Net Price Calculator for the most accurate estimate of your anticipated costs. Every school publishes a Net Price Calculator that does its best to give you a fair estimate of what you might expect to pay. Many calculators consider your high school record as part of the calculation. This will be far more accurate than any of the averages or published tuition values that you see here.
  • FederalStudentAid, a government site that will walk you through the federal financial aid process. There are a number of kinds of student loans and other aid, and this site can walk you through all of the choices you will need to make.

The American University deadline for priority financial aid consideration is October 15. Applicants are notified of results on April 1 and must respond by April 1.

Required Forms

FAFSA

CSS Profile

Loan Programs

Federal Perkins

Federal Direct PLUS

Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford

Institutional

Need-based Scholarships Available

Federal Pell Grants

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants

State scholarships/grants

Private scholarships/grants

Institutional scholarships/grants

Athletic scholarships

Non-need-based Scholarships Available

Athletic scholarships

International Students
American University provides need-based aid in the form of state and other work-study aid and outside (non-institutional) student loanss and non-need-based aid in the form of state and other work-study aid, institutional athletic awards, institutional tuition waivers, and institutional grants.
Undergraduate Outcomes
Graduation Rate
Approximately 98% of undergraduate students were full-time with about 76% of them attending college for the first time. In the last reporting year, 79% of students, including those who were part-time or transfer students, received a degree within 8 years.
79%
Time to complete
4 years
6 years
8 years
Context: Graduation rate
These numbers reflect eight-year graduation rates for all degrees at the colleges and universities in your chosen context group. This reporting is for undergraduate students inclusive of transfer students and full/part-time students.
SOURCES:
Loan Status
This donut shows the percentage of students who are in good standing (green) in repaying any federal student loans five years after leaving American University.
Status of loans
Closed (fully paid)
Currently paying
Deferred for miliary or school
Suspended (usually for hardship)
More than 90 days late in paying
In default
Another status not released
Context: Loans with good standing
This is better performance than at least 98% of its context schools, and is evidence that alumni earnings-to-debt ratios are better than for most of the context schools' alumni.
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Are students graduating on time?
Let us tell you all about low graduation rates!

Across the country, graduation rates are surprisingly low. In fact, Forbes Magazine suggests that they are unacceptably low. However, from another point of view, sometimes graduation rates simply reflect the relative preparation of the students who enter. Colleges with a mission to help people coming from less advantaged backgrounds, such as first-generation and low-income students, may have low graduation rates despite relatively strong outcomes for students who face many obstacles to success. Without the context provided in these views of completion rates, it can be tricky to separate predatory schools that take financial advantage of under-prepared students from those that are actively seeking to encourage and help those students.

For the consumer choosing a school, once you have narrowed your list to those schools that you can afford and that seem likely to admit you, consider the outcome measures in this section and choose the specific measures that best describe your plans. Very simply, schools with high graduation rates and high loan repayment rates will likely give you the best opportunity to succeed.

Context: the impact of wealth and transfer status on degree completion
We took a close look lagging success for students with financial need in a case study. Here's a chance to compare schools based on student successes with a better appreciation of how circumstances may impact success. One word of caution: the statistics for some categories may consist of only a handful of students -- see the details by hovering or long-pressing on the bars.
Full-time first-time students
Full-time transfer students
Part-time first-time students
Part-time transfer students
Choose a student group
Full-time first-time students
Full-time transfer students
Part-time first-time students
Part-time transfer students
Percentage with Pell Grants
16%
Years after enrolling.
4
6
8
Full-time first-time students who received a bachelor's degree within 8 years after enrolling
83%82%72%0%50%100%Non-PellPellAll
Context and trends: Repayment Rate
How much progress do you think you'll be able to make towards paying down your college loans seven years after leaving school? In our research, we discovered that a surprisingly large number of students don't default on their loans, but also aren't making progress in paying down their principal amount. The percentages here count alumni who have decreased their loan amounts by at least $1.
Years after leaving school.
7
5
3
201320142015201640%60%80%100%Former students with decreased loan principal
Chart explanation
American University
On the blue curve, we see the percentage of alumni from American University who have successfully reduced their federal school loans by at least $1 by the date shown, which is 7 years after leaving the school.
Context Schools
The shading shows the spread of the loan repayment rate for the context schools. The dark shading shows the middle 50% of context schools, and the light shading shows all but the smallest and largest 10%.
Customize your context group using the gear at the top of the page!
Context and trends: are the loan default rates as small as possible?
The default rate is the percentage of students who are already delinquent on their loans within three years of leaving the school. If a school has a high default rate, that sends an alarm out that the students' educations are not sufficient to earn enough to repay those loans. Read below for details on the typical loan burden, and keep in mind that a low default rate may be more important than loan amounts in predicting your future success.
201420152016201720180%5%10%15%20%Former students with loan payment failure
Chart explanation
American University
On the blue curve, we see the percentage of alumni from American University who have defaulted on their federal school loans within 3 years ending on the date shown.
Context Schools
The shading shows the spread of the 3-year loan default rate for the context schools. The dark shading shows the middle 50% of context schools, and the light shading shows all but the smallest and largest 10%.
Customize your context group using the gear at the top of the page!
Loan burden
At American University, 56% of full-time degree-seeking freshmen receive federal student loans, averaging $5,312 each in just the freshman year. We have much more details about the full loan burden students experience in our Cost and Financial Aid Section.
Context: Percentage of freshmen with federal loans
56%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Context: Average freshman federal loan amount
$5,312$4,000$5,000$6,000$7,000$8,000
Not so much?
Alumni earnings compared to same-aged Americans
The blue curve shows the earnings of this school's alumni -- so a high curve indicates this school is setting its students up for success!
More information about earnings data

How might your earnings compare with other people your age? Opportunity Insights used IRS data to track almost every person born in the US in the years 1980 to 1991, and they ranked the mean (average) 2014 earnings of students who attended American University in comparison to all people in the US the same age. Although this data is now a little old, the scope of this project was awesome and gives us a glimpse at alumni performance that we cannot find until a new study of this incredible magnitude is performed.

The Equality Project found that by age 34, people's relative earnings had leveled off, so it's a good assumption that approximately 68% of the population will earn less than American University alumni.

You might notice a little earnings dip at young ages for some of the top bachelor's institutions. This coincides with the years that many alumni may be in graduate school and earning less.

232425262728293031323334Approximate former student age4050607080Average earnings percentile
Chart explanation
American University
In the blue curve, we see how the average earnings percentile for this school changes as its alumni age as compared to like-aged Americans without regard to their educational background.
Context Schools
The shading shows the spread of these average alumni earnings percentiles for context schools: dark shading shows the middle 50% of context schools and light shading shows all but the smallest and largest 10%.
Customize your context group using the gear at the top of the page!
Wealth mobility at American University
We may wonder if, as a result of attending a given college, we will have a better chance for higher earnings. Opportunity Insights sought to answer this question by following the wealth story of every student for whom income information was available.
Learn more about the mobility study
How does wealth change after attendance?

Opportunity Insights studied groups of all children born in the US in the same year for each birth year from 1980 to 1991. This grouping included every single US child who had a valid SSN or ITIN (tax identification number) and could be linked to parents with non-negative income.

Family Income

The incomes of all families in a birth year group are measured when the child is 15-19 and these incomes are averaged. The calculated incomes from all families in the group were arranged from smallest to largest, and divided into five groups of equal size. On the left of the diagram, you can see the relative distribution of American University's students between the family income divided into fifths formed by looking at the entire US group.

Individual Student Earnings

In 2014, all people from the same birth year were divided into a new set of five groups that were determined by their individual labor earnings for that year. The students from this birth year who primarily attended American University between the ages of 19 and 22 were divided into these five groups, and the percent in each group is shown on the right of the diagram.

The diagram lets you see the proportion in each original income group who travel to each earnings group, and provides some insight into the likelihood of financial success after attendance.

If you'd like to understand the nitty gritty details of this interesting data, be sure to check out the well-written Opportunity Insights report by selecting SOURCES under the figure.

Below, we can see the percentage from each initial family wealth group who attend this college, and also the alumni's relative wealth later. Do students entering college from the bottom twenty percent of family income end up making it to a higher level? Do the top twenty percent stay at the top? Follow the colors, left to right, and see for yourself.
$24,300$45,100$72,900$110,300$900$18,500$35,200$55,800Lowest 20%Second-lowestMiddleSecond-highestHighest 20%Highest 20%Second-highestMiddleSecond-lowest Lowest 20%Family IncomeStudent Income
Classroom Experience
Student attention at American University
Schools are required to report the ratio of students per instructor, but look for a small number of students for every full-time instructor as your best indicator of personal attention and a modern well-integrated curriculum.
15.51201020304050Full-time inst.Any inst.
Fewer details
Quality and Quantity of American University faculty
Faculty are the heart of a school. Make sure the school you attend has highly-qualified faculty who are regularly in their offices and happy to meet with you.
Full-time faculty overview
The best bachelor’s and graduate programs are generally taught by long-term faculty with tenure, as these instructors typically hold the highest degree possible in their field of expertise. Their commitment to research, their students, and to the school itself should be outstanding. The more green in the chart, the more long-term faculty are available to offer you steady classroom quality.
Learn more about the bars in this chart

Traditionally, the long-term faculty at a school are hired as Assistant Professors. After about six years, they then advance to the Associate Professor level after proving excellence in three areas: teaching, service to the institution, and significant contributions to their field of expertise. Assistant professors who are not promoted to the Associate level are usually required to leave the school. The rank of Professor is reserved for senior faculty who have demonstrated the highest standing in those three areas. The standards of excellence differ widely across institutions; nonetheless, the presence of a large proportion of faculty in the three professor ranks suggests you will be taught by faculty who are invested in their academic fields and in the school. Generally, instructors with any of the three professor titles will hold the highest possible (terminal) degree in their academic fields.

The instructor/lecturer positions are generally held by full-time faculty who are focused on teaching alone, often for lower-level classes. These positions usually require some advanced education or experience, but not the highest (terminal) degree in a given academic field. Those teaching with no academic rank may be hired to teach in mostly non-academic fields, giving skills- or vocation-based guidance.

0100200300400InstructorAssistant ProfessorAssociate ProfessorProfessor
Not Faculty
Faculty, not tenure-track: sub-annual
Faculty, not tenure-track: annual
Faculty, not tenure-track: multi-year or indefinite
Faculty, tenure-track
Faculty, tenured
Context: Percentage of full-time faculty
Full-time faculty are mostly likely to be on campus and available for interaction, and most likely to craft up-to-date courses and programs.
Read more about why you want mostly full-time faculty teaching you
55%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Context: Full-time faculty with the best degrees
Students earning a bachelor's degree or higher should expect to receive the bulk of their education from experts in their field who have earned the highest possible degree.
94%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Context: Full-time faculty with long-term employment contracts
Faculty with multi-year contracts have a mutual commitment with their school, and they provide curricular stability and knowledge that contribute to meaningful classes for students.
77%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Not so much?
Faculty Diversity
Here's an opportunity to explore the faculty's diversity. For many schools, attracting a diverse teaching faculty can be a challenge. It's important to judge their success with the reality check of what their peer schools have accomplished.
An overview of faculty race and gender
Here the bars show faculty rank, with male faculty to the left and female faculty to the right. The race/origin of faculty are shown by color. The view with rank is important because many of our elite schools have a problem with diversity at the higher faculty ranks. Are women and minorities being promoted at American University?
InstructorAssistant ProfessorAssociate ProfessorProfessor050100150200Men050100150200Women
White
Black
Hispanic
Asian
American Indian
Multiracial
Not Reported
International
SOURCES:
Sports
Varsity sports at American University
American University participates in the NCAA Division I without football.
Selected sports
  • Basketball|Patriot League
  • Cross country/track|Patriot League
Fewer details
Sports participation
WrestlingVolleyballSwimming and DivingSoccerLacrosseField HockeyCombined Track and FieldBasketball0204060Men0204060Women
Note: Participants include any of the following: a student listed on the varsity roster, a student reciving student aid related to this sport, or a student who is practicing with the varsity team and receiving coaching from the varsity coaching staff, including junior varsity, freshman, redshirt, or novice participants as well as fifth-year members who have already received a bachelor\'s degree.
Not so much?
Sports revenue and expenses
View
Revenue
Game Day Expenses
Expense per participant
WrestlingVolleyballSwimming and DivingSoccerLacrosseField HockeyCombined Track and FieldBasketball$0$1M$2M$3MMen$0$1M$2M$3MWomen
Note: For many sports, the revenue is typically from institutional support, but for the popular sports at division I schools, revenue can be large and include money generated by public consumption of sporting events. Revenues can include appearance guarantees and options, contributions from alumni and others, royalties, sponsorships, profits from camps, government support, and ticket sales, as well as institutional support.
Campus Safety
Disciplinary actions and crime at American University
American University employs the following safety measures on their campus: 24-hour emergency telephone/alarm devices, dorm entrances allow access only with key or security card, 24-hour patrol by trained security personnel, and late-night transportation/escort services.
Disciplinary Actions
20052010201520200200400600
Liquor Violations
Drug Violations
Weapon Possessions
Arrests
201020122014201620182020012345
Liquor Violations
Drug Violations
Weapon Possessions
Fewer details
Context: Disciplinary Actions
Average number of disciplinary violoations at American University as a percentage of students compared to all of the schools in the comparison group.
0.7%2.2%0.0%0.0%1.0%2.0%3.0%Weapon PossessionsDrug ViolationsLiquor Violations
Context: Arrests
Average number of arrests at American University as a percentage of students compared to all of the schools in the comparison group.
0.01%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.05%0.10%0.15%0.20%0.25%Weapon PossessionsDrug ViolationsLiquor Violations
Criminal Offenses
200520102015202001020304050
Burglaries/Robberies
Sex Offenses
Vehicle Thefts
Aggrevated Assaults
Context: Criminal Offenses
Average number of criminal offenses at American University as a percentage of students compared to all of the schools in the comparison group.
0.085%0.020%0.103%0.003%0.000%0.050%0.100%0.150%0.200%0.250%Aggrevated AssaultsVehicle TheftsSex OffensesBurglaries/Robberies
Housing
No Student Housing Available
This school does not report any housing for students.
SOURCES:
Activities and Services
Activities offered
  • Choral groups
  • Drama/theater
  • National Fraternities
  • National Sororities
  • Radio station
  • Student newspaper
  • Television station
Special academic opportunities
  • 3-2 program in Engineering with University of Maryland, College Park
  • Accelerated Degree
  • Credit for advanced placement
  • Distance learning
  • Double-major allowed
  • English as a Second Language program
  • External Degree Program
  • Graduate courses available to undergraduates
  • Honors Program
  • Independent study courses
  • Internships
  • Off campus study: American University
  • Off campus study: Catholic University of America
  • Off campus study: Corcoran College of Art & Design
  • Off campus study: Gallaudet University
  • Off campus study: George Mason University
  • Off campus study: Georgetown University
  • Off campus study: Howard University
  • Off campus study: Marymount University
  • Off campus study: The George Washington University
  • Off campus study: The University of Maryland
  • Off campus study: The University of the District of Columbia
  • Off campus study: Trinity Washington University
  • Orientation program
  • Part-time degree programs
  • Services for learning disabilities
  • Student-designed major
  • Study abroad
  • Summer session
  • Teacher certification programs
Undergraduate services offered
  • Health clinic
  • Personal/psychological counseling
  • Remedial services
  • Academic/career counseling services
  • Employment services for current students
  • On-campus day care for children of students
Programs for Veterans
If you are a veteran, it's worth digging around to find a military-friendly campus. We think this article about how colleges might help veterans might be a good starting point for questions to ask the Admissions office before you choose to attend. It's also good to be aware that many for-profit schools are behaving as predators, hungry for GI Bill dollars. Watching out for those schools is no different for veterans than for all students: judge very critically using our "Student Satisfaction and Success" tab for undergraduate programs. We wish we had the same data to support graduate programs; however, we think the undergraduate data is a good starting point for judging overall quality.
  • Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military servicemembers, and their families
  • Member of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges
  • Recognized student veteran organization
  • Yellow Ribbon Program
SOURCES:
Research
The library is the backbone of academic learning and research

A rigorous academic program requires that students and faculty alike are engaging in independent research, and that activity requires strong library support. You can get some useful information here:

  • How strong and how balanced between traditional physical books and easily-accessed (but expensive) electronic journals and other resources is this library?
  • How much is this library borrowing from other libraries? The number of interlibrary loans received can indicate the school's commitment to getting the resources on-campus researchers need, and also of the research activity on campus.
  • How big a resource is this library to other libraries? A large number of outgoing interlibrary loans speaks highly of the value of its content.

The presence of a library in and of itself is a good thing. Increasingly, libraries are comfortable and inviting spaces for individual and group study sessions. Librarians can be incredibly friendly guides in your quest to find materials that aid your learning.

Comparison of library resources per student
How do the per-student library resources at American University compare to other schools?
761050200400600PhysicalElectronic
Comparison of library loans per student
A small library could make up for a small collection by allowing a large number of interlibrary loans to be received. An excellent library can show its strength by its number of loans given.
2.002.000.001.002.00LoanedReceived
SOURCES:
Research funding: the best indicator of post-baccalaureate academic rigor

How much funding does this university have for research in your discipline? This is your primary evidence of nationally-recognized scholarship coming out of this university, and provides a good indicator of the availability of research funding for graduate students and post-docs. You can select bars to drill down into the specific disciplines funded, or further into the sources of that funding. If you hover on the bars, you can see summary details. The dollar amounts reflect the institution's annual spending, inclusive of external grants.

Because this data is collected by the National Science Foundation (NSF), it is focused on traditional science-technology-engineering-mathematics (STEM) disciplines. There are only hints of funding outside of these areas.

Type of funding
All
Federal
Nonfederal
This chart shows the overall funding received by American University by broad research field since 2010. If you select a colored bar, you can drill down and see a little more detail about funding in this area.
$0$50M$100M$150M2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Psychology
Social sciences
Computer sciences
Mathematics and Statistics
Life sciences
Physical sciences
Environmental sciences
Other STEM
Non-STEM disciplines
Student Body
Undergraduate Study Types
About 96% of undergraduate students are full-time. There are no undergraduate students who take all courses via distance education, but 4% take some courses online.
Undergraduate Full-time
96%
Undergraduate Online classes
4%
SOURCES:
Context: Student body size
American University enrolled 16,079 students over the past academic year. The the student body size is larger than 87% of the context schools.
SOURCES:
Undergraduate student gender
Is the gender balance of American University undergraduate students important to you? You can see the breakdown in this donut chart.
Gender
Men
Women
SOURCES:
Undergraduate student race/origin
American University reports that 30% of undergraduate students are minority, which is near the middle of the context schools. With 13% international students representing 106 countries, this school has a higher percentage of international students than 99% of the context schools.
Race/Origin
White
Black
Pacific Islander
Hispanic
Asian
American Indian
Multiracial
Not Reported
International
SOURCES:
Fewer details
Context: Gender Balance
It is very difficult for many types of schools to achieve a gender balance, and this context is valuable in evaluating the balance at American University.
39%62%20%40%60%80%MenWomen
SOURCES:
Context: Percentage of women
With 62% women undergraduate students, American University has a higher percentage of women than 61% of context schools.
SOURCES:
Context: Undergraduate student race/origin
Here is how American University compares to the rest of the context group in terms of diversity in the student race and origin.
7%53%12%7%0%0%4%4%13%0%20%40%60%80%100%Pacific IslanderAmerican IndianMultiracialNot ReportedAsianBlackHispanicInternationalWhite
Freshman residences

A high proportion of international and out-of-state students speaks to reputation and offers an opportunity for diverse interactions in and out of class.

American University has undergraduates from 50 states or territories and 106 countries.

Freshman residence
In-state
Out-of-state
International
Not Reported
Undergraduate student age distribution
The age distribution at a school can tell you a lot about its mission. If you're looking for a traditional undergraduate experience, you may prefer to see students who are mostly younger than 25 (lighter shades), but if you want support as a returning student, a large number of students 25 and older (darker shades) may better suit your needs.
Age range
Under 18
18-19
20-21
22-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-49
50-64
65 and over
SOURCES:
School Finances
American University: What its budget can tell you about classroom quality
Where a school spends and collects its money can suggest a lot about the educational experience it offers. The tabs below offer a look at spending that is important for the quality of your experience if you attend.
Instructional spending
Student services spending
Research spending
Context and trends: Instructional expenditures per student
Instructional expenses are primarily the salary and benefits paid to the heart of a school: its full-time instructors. High expenditures in this area suggest care in hiring enough highly qualified full-time faculty to provide personal attention and up-to-date subject-area excellence.
200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018$0$5,000$10,000$15,000$20,000
Chart explanation
American University
On the blue curve, we see how the instructional expenses per student at American University have changed over the years.
Context Schools
The shading shows the spread of the instructional expenses per student for the context schools. The dark shading shows the middle 50% of context schools, and the light shading shows all but the smallest and largest 10%.
All values have been adjusted for inflation. Customize your context group using the gear at the top of the page!
Fewer details
Does incoming revenue consistently cover expenses?

American University is a private not-for-profit school. Along with publicly-controlled schools, not-for-profit schools do not have the goal of annual profit, but they do want to have healthy finances with adequate revenue to meet all expenses. On the other hand, private for-profit schools have creating a profit for shareholders as an annual goal.

American University has an endowment of $691,969,608. Colleges and universities with huge endowments generally have their annual performance dominated by investment successes and failures, and fluctuations tend to be outside of the range of other schools. Under the following endowment section, you can check whether their endowment is generally stable, which is the true measure of financial stability for schools in this class.

Total revenue and expenses by category
We divided revenue and expenses for American University into categories to give some insight to what may have influenced peaks and ditches in the chart above. The purple shades correspond most directly to student education. The blue shades, auxiliary expenses and revenue, are often related to room and board. We show investment gains and losses in apricot.
200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018$0$200M$400M$600M$800MRevenue$0$200M$400M$600M$800MExpense
Investment gains
Auxiliary revenue
Tuition and fees revenue
Government appropriations etc.
Private and capital gifts
Other revenue
Investment losses
Auxilliary expenses
Instructional expenses
Student services expenses
Academic support expenses
Institutional support expenses
Research expenses
Public service expenses
Other expenses
Not so much?
The power of a large endowment
Related to the previous question of whether the annual revenue stream is stable is the question, "How deep are this school's pockets?" For many schools, a major source of annual income is investment growth. Schools with large endowments have a built-in revenue stream, although you'll see in the accompanying graphs that this revenue stream is highly dependent on the nation's economy. You can choose how to examine the depth of American University's resources by selecting from the buttons below.
Choose asset category
Net Assets
Total Endowment
Endowment Growth Rate
Net Assets Per Student

Here we examine assets at American University in context, and it seems most fair to adjust for the size of the institution. We examine the assets per full-time-equivalent student so that we level the playing field for size.

There's a catch to these assets, though. Many gifts to a school's endowment have strings attached; the money is restricted to a specific purpose. Assets shown in green below are unrestricted, and are very important to a school's ability to meet its financial obligations. Some assets are the land and buildings that a school must have in order to function, and these may appear as green (unrestricted assets) but are nonetheless less helpful in meeting annual financial commitments. This look at assets is only a piece of the puzzle as we decide if a school is stable.

$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000$100,000$120,000200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018
Restricted net assets
Unrestricted net assets
Context: 2019 net assets per student
$102,288$0$50,000$100,000$150,000