American Public University System

Charles Town, West Virginia

Private For-Profit Town: Fringe

American Public University System is a private for-profit institution in Charles Town, West Virginia enrolling 40,074 students, according to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.. Graduates earn a median of $44,409 ten years after enrollment, based on U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid data. The average net price after financial aid is $9,597. This profile includes admissions data, graduation rates, program-level earnings, and cost breakdowns to help students compare colleges using official federal data.

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for American Public University System

American Public University System operates as a private for-profit institution located in Charles Town, West Virginia (town: fringe), with a total reported enrollment of 40,074 students of which 77,630 are undergraduates. Institution-level records in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) classify each school by Carnegie category, ownership sector, and urban/rural locale, which is how this profile’s peer group and cost cohort are determined. American Public University System is categorized as “18” under the Carnegie classification system, a meaningful signal when comparing like-to-like institutions.

Selectivity and financial signals give context to what applicants can expect. Admission rate data is not currently reported for this institution. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $9,597, with published in-state tuition of $8,400 and a Pell grant recipient share of 24.6%. Median federal student debt at graduation is $21,743, drawn from the U.S. Treasury-matched College Scorecard file.

Outcomes reveal whether the investment pays back. The 4-year completion rate is 55.2%, and the first-year retention rate is 97.1%. Graduates earn a median of $44,409 ten years after enrolling, compared with $32,917 six years post-enrollment. Within three years of entering repayment, 3078300.0% of borrowers are making progress on their federal loans, and 74.5% of graduates earn above the high-school threshold. Treating these numbers as a single snapshot alongside the cost cohort is the standard approach for evaluating ROI under the College Scorecard methodology.

Quick Facts

40,074
Total enrollment
Acceptance rate
SAT average
55.2%
4-yr graduation rate
$44,409
10-yr median earnings
97.1%
First-year retention

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $8,400
Out-of-State Tuition $8,400
Average Net Price $9,597

Net Price by Family Income

$0 – $30,000 $9,335
$30,001 – $48,000 $9,766
$48,001 – $75,000 $8,951
24.6%
Pell Grant Rate
12.2%
Federal Loan Rate
$21,743
Median Debt
$231/mo
Monthly Payment

Student Demographics

White 44.2%
African American 17.8%
Hispanic or Latino 20.0%
Asian 3.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Pacific Islander 1.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.8%
International 1.2%
50.0%
Female
53.4%
First Generation

Outcomes

55.2%
4-Year Completion Rate
97.1%
Retention Rate
$32,917
Median Earnings (6yr)
$44,409
Median Earnings (10yr)
74.5%
Earning Over $25K
3078300.0%
Loan Repayment (3yr)

Programs & Earnings

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Master's 135 $111,755 $41,147
International/Globalization Studies Master's 94 $108,940 $29,812
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Master's 20 $105,483
Military Science and Operational Studies Bachelor's $103,706 $18,188
International Relations and National Security Studies Master's 0 $100,647 $33,731
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians Master's 60 $99,729 $31,709
Homeland Security Master's 235 $96,527 $38,384
International/Globalization Studies Graduate Certificate 14 $95,322 $25,298
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 89 $94,768 $16,093
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 927 $91,167 $37,330
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians Bachelor's 76 $89,871 $26,612
Criminal Justice and Corrections Master's 166 $89,135 $37,330
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Master's 31 $89,079
Fire Protection Bachelor's 47 $87,428 $23,688
Business Administration, Management and Operations Graduate Certificate 86 $87,252 $35,590
International/Globalization Studies Bachelor's 129 $86,599 $22,282
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Bachelor's 369 $86,275 $26,841
Public Administration Master's 71 $85,238 $43,726
Accounting and Related Services Master's 25 $82,725 $32,927
Political Science and Government Bachelor's 58 $81,056 $21,728
Computer and Information Sciences, General Bachelor's 253 $80,417 $25,852
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Bachelor's 111 $79,734
Public Health Master's 65 $79,601 $46,258
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Certificate 30 $78,217 $8,881
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Master's 0 $77,714 $31,665
Fire Protection Associate's 54 $77,650
Homeland Security Bachelor's 518 $77,122 $24,942
Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's 1,779 $75,722 $22,988
Political Science and Government Master's 41 $74,802 $37,101
Applied Mathematics Bachelor's 44 $73,845
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Master's 205 $70,509 $35,798
Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's 632 $69,546 $20,888
Criminal Justice and Corrections Graduate Certificate 23 $69,195 $34,030
Non-Professional Legal Studies Master's 43 $67,802 $42,053
Psychology, General Master's 100 $66,047 $37,184
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Bachelor's 42 $65,830
International Relations and National Security Studies Bachelor's 0 $65,510 $14,947
Business Administration, Management and Operations Associate's 284 $65,318 $22,707
Philosophy Bachelor's 15 $64,098
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Associate's 1,537 $63,895 $9,500
Business Administration, Management and Operations Certificate 200 $63,677 $7,880
Data Processing Associate's 25 $63,673 $18,018
Marketing Bachelor's 51 $63,469 $31,530
History Master's 154 $63,247 $40,538
Homeland Security Associate's 52 $63,213
Accounting and Related Services Bachelor's 75 $62,358 $36,282
Non-Professional Legal Studies Bachelor's 70 $61,532 $30,518
History Graduate Certificate 53 $61,512 $59,160
Business/Commerce, General Associate's 165 $61,313 $21,625
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Bachelor's 477 $60,134 $25,250
History Bachelor's 103 $59,793 $30,321
Homeland Security Graduate Certificate 34 $59,417
Public Health Bachelor's 90 $59,240 $30,640
Education, General Master's 30 $57,967 $38,967
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Bachelor's 304 $57,618 $24,306
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations Bachelor's 8 $57,318 $43,268
Security Science and Technology Bachelor's 44 $57,237 $32,062
Student Counseling and Personnel Services Master's 5 $56,370
Criminal Justice and Corrections Associate's 121 $55,726 $24,003
Psychology, General Bachelor's 315 $54,707 $27,550
Sociology Bachelor's 79 $54,432 $21,693
Real Estate Associate's 39 $53,534 $28,500
Educational Administration and Supervision Master's 4 $52,107
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other Associate's 639 $51,579 $7,940
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Master's 27 $50,920 $44,003
Religion/Religious Studies Bachelor's 20 $48,336
Accounting and Related Services Associate's 35 $47,537 $17,086
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Bachelor's 137 $47,294 $35,082
Hospitality Administration/Management Bachelor's 42 $46,000 $31,334
English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's 72 $43,415 $27,989
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Certificate 8 $42,682
Communication and Media Studies Associate's 35 $42,077 $13,011
Public Health Associate's 44 $39,409 $23,990
Legal Support Services Associate's 30 $39,259 $19,250
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Associate's 105 $38,583 $20,756
Human Resources Management and Services Associate's 0 $33,993
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Certificate 58 $33,911 $7,125
Legal Support Services Certificate 25 $31,133
History Associate's 46 $29,685
Hospitality Administration/Management Certificate 9 $25,194
Real Estate Certificate 28 $16,169

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the admissions statistics for American Public University System?
American Public University System is a private for-profit institution in Charles Town, West Virginia. Total enrollment is 40,074 students.
How much do American Public University System graduates earn?
Graduates of American Public University System earn a median of $44,409 ten years after enrollment. Six years after enrollment, median earnings are $32,917.
How much does American Public University System cost?
The average net price at American Public University System is $9,597. In-state tuition is $8,400 and out-of-state tuition is $8,400. Median student debt at graduation is $21,743.
What is the graduation rate at American Public University System?
American Public University System has a 4-year completion rate of 55.2%. The first-year retention rate is 97.1%.
Is American Public University System worth the student debt?
The median student debt at American Public University System is $21,743, while graduates earn a median of $44,409 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 49% of first-year post-graduation earnings. 3078300.0% of borrowers are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $231.

Data Sources

Data as of 2024-25 academic year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Primary: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. Data reflects most recent available year.

Institutional characteristics: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) institutional characteristics file.

Earnings: Median earnings 6 and 10 years after enrollment, from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid data.

Program data: Credential-level earnings from the College Scorecard Field of Study dataset.

All federal data sources used on this page

Earnings data sourced from IRS records via the U.S. Treasury–Department of Education matching used by the College Scorecard.