10-yr median earnings
$77,370
Federal aid recipients only
Private Nonprofit · Washington, District of Columbia
American University
American University is a private nonprofit institution in Washington, District of Columbia. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.
- $77,370
- 10-yr median earnings
- 62.0%
- Acceptance rate
- $41,943
- Avg net price / yr
- 77.0%
- 150%-time completion
The verdict
American University pairs top-5% former-student earnings with a moderately open admit.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 5%
- former-student earnings, US
- 62.0%
- acceptance rate
- 77.0%
- 150%-time completion
- +26%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Large
Carnegie: R2
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this American University profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
C+
College Value Score
62/100
American University
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings A+
$77,370
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$41,943
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate A-
77.0%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$22,750
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A+
86.2%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention A-
88.2%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$41,943
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
77.0%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 77.0%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - American University vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How American University ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
American University: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$77,370 Top 5% higher than 95% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | American University | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $77,370 | #232 of 5103 | 95th |
| Average net price | $41,943 | #4916 of 5020 | 2nd (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 77.0% | #868 of 4858 | 82nd |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,266 | #519 of 5462 | 90th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
7,266
Undergraduate enrollment
62.0%
Acceptance rate
1,381
SAT average
77.0%
150%-time completion
$77,370
10-yr median earnings
88.2%
First-year retention
How American University ranks in District of Columbia
State rank among 17 reporting District of Columbia colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | American University | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $77,370 | #3 of 17 | 82nd |
| Average net price | $41,943 | #12 of 13 | 8th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 77.0% | #5 of 15 | 67th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,266 | #5 of 19 | 74th |
Highest former-student earnings in District of Columbia
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgetown University | $103,494 | $40,815 |
| 2 | George Washington University | $90,873 | $36,586 |
| 3 | American UniversityThis school | $77,370 | $41,943 |
| 4 | The Catholic University of America | $73,250 | $29,561 |
| 5 | Howard University | $63,066 | $50,539 |
| 6 | Arizona State University - Washington D.C. | $62,668 | - |
| 7 | The Chicago School at Washington DC | $56,899 | - |
| 8 | Trinity Washington University | $53,804 | $9,302 |
| 9 | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Manassas | $46,441 | $27,320 |
| 10 | University of the District of Columbia | $44,236 | $10,648 |
| 11 | Gallaudet University | $43,101 | $15,845 |
| 12 | ECPI University-Manassas | $42,837 | - |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 62.0% |
| SAT Average | 1,381 |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 620 – 720 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 660 – 740 |
| ACT Average | 31 |
| ACT (25th-75th) | 29 – 32 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at American University
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k
$0 – $30k
$23,233 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k $20,444
$30k – $48k
$20,444 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$26,035 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$53,673 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at American University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $58,771 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $58,771 |
| Average Net Price | $41,943 |
13.9%
Pell Grant Rate
38.0%
Federal Loan Rate
$22,750
Median Debt
$241/mo
Monthly Payment
Net price at American University swings rather than trends
Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $28,037 to $43,451 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as +25.4%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.
Lowest year
$28,037
Highest year
$43,451
Most recent (2023)
$41,945
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $33,4372023 · $41,945
Over the same years, enrollment went +11.2% (6,829 → 7,593 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
66.1%
Female
15.6%
First Generation
Outcomes
88.2%
Retention Rate
$61,328
Median Earnings (6yr)
78.6%
Earning Over $25K
86.2%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 77.0% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 88.2% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $61,328 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $77,370 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 78.6% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 86.2% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $22,750 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $241/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master's | 37 | 1,740 | $89,488 | $127,356 | $52,626 |
| Bachelor's | 30 | 1,885 | $75,758 | $134,332 | $23,811 |
| Certificate | 3 | 114 | $72,375 | $81,004 | $23,391 |
| First Professional | 1 | 320 | $109,523 | $109,523 | $161,696 |
Top programs at American University by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Finance and Financial Mana…
Finance and Financial Management Services
$134,332 median earnings
- Management Sciences and Qu…
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
$127,356 median earnings
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$127,269 median earnings
- Accounting and Related Ser…
Accounting and Related Services
$119,020 median earnings
- Computer Science
Computer Science
$117,293 median earnings
- Accounting and Related Ser…
Accounting and Related Services
$112,384 median earnings
- Law
Law
$109,523 median earnings
- Public Administration
Public Administration
$107,866 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
| Program | Credential | Completers | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's | 75 | $134,332 | $22,625 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Master's | 93 | $127,356 | $51,250 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's | 83 | $127,269 | $89,433 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's | 18 | $119,020 | - |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's | 24 | $117,293 | - |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's | 30 | $112,384 | - |
| Law | First Professional | 320 | $109,523 | $161,696 |
| Public Administration | Master's | 155 | $107,866 | $55,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Master's | 35 | $104,878 | $26,500 |
| Economics | Master's | 49 | $103,169 | $46,108 |
| Public Policy Analysis | Master's | 63 | $98,588 | $54,986 |
| Political Science and Government | Master's | 19 | $98,567 | - |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Master's | 34 | $97,932 | $53,268 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Master's | 349 | $97,808 | $61,500 |
| Homeland Security | Master's | 64 | $96,954 | $41,000 |
Nearby Schools
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Independent Scorecard matches among reporting colleges — not recommendations from the institution or a counselor.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Private Nonprofit institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Private Nonprofit institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at American University? ▼
American University is a private nonprofit institution in Washington, District of Columbia. The acceptance rate is 62.0%. The average SAT score is 1,381. Undergraduate enrollment is 7,266 students.
How much do American University former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at American University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $77,370 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $61,328.
How much does American University cost? ▼
The average net price at American University is $41,943. In-state tuition is $58,771 and out-of-state tuition is $58,771. Median student debt at graduation is $22,750.
What is the graduation rate at American University? ▼
American University has a 77.0% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 88.2%.
Is American University worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at American University is $22,750, while former students earn a median of $77,370 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 29% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 86.2% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $241.
Sources & methodology
Private-nonprofit profiles emphasize Scorecard cost-after-aid and completion alongside IPEDS Carnegie class. Endowment, gifts, and sticker price are not Scorecard fields on this page.
Figures are the Mar–Jul 2026 federal retrievals. Nonprofit campuses vary widely in aid practice — net price here is the Title-IV-recipient cohort average, not an individual award letter. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from American University
- Compare American University against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in District of Columbia side by side.Browse District of Columbia
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Nonprofit Scorecard medians describe federal-aid recipients who were working and not enrolled — they are not sticker-price ROI and not advice.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Private-nonprofit profiles compile Scorecard net-price and earnings cohorts with IPEDS structure fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.