Regional university
#10 Best online colleges in AmericaAmerican Public University System
Charles Town, WV · Private for-profit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $9,597 a year
Median debt at graduation: $21,743 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best online colleges in America#10 of 167
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#95 of 1,046
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#130 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#157 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#169 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#136 of 834
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- Best colleges for business in America#267 of 1,563
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#223 of 1,238
- Best colleges for psychology in America#289 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#381 of 1,829
- Best colleges for English in America#273 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#286 of 1,247
In West Virginia
- Best colleges in West Virginia#1 of 19
- Best colleges for business in West Virginia#1 of 19
- Best colleges for nursing in West Virginia#1 of 15
- Best colleges for criminal justice in West Virginia#1 of 14
- Best colleges for English in West Virginia#1 of 14
- Best colleges for psychology in West Virginia#1 of 14
Show 7 more
- Best colleges for accounting in West Virginia#1 of 13
- Best colleges for history in West Virginia#1 of 13
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in West Virginia#1 of 13
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in West Virginia#1 of 12
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in West Virginia#1 of 11
- Best colleges for engineering in West Virginia#1 of 9
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in West Virginia#4 of 19
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.57%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.97%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.25 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$1,771
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $18,768 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 40,478 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 64% · Women 36% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 53% |
| Total students | 50,187 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $9,597 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $18,768 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $21,743 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 57% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 14% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 14% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 23% |
| First-year retention | 97% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $44,409 |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $2,015 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 25% |
Value: Very good · Top 30% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Military Science and Operational Studies | |
| Nursing | |
| Mechanical engineering technology | |
| Fire science | |
| Global studies | |
| Information technology | |
| Political science | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Homeland Security | |
| Business administration | |
| Applied mathematics | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Entrepreneurship | |
| International relations | |
| Philosophy | |
| Marketing | |
| Accounting | |
| Pre-law and legal studies | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| History | |
| Public health | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Security science | |
| Psychology | |
| Sociology | |
| Religious studies | |
| Family and human development | |
| Hospitality management | |
| English |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Air Transportation, Business (general), Communication studies, Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis, Electrical engineering, Experimental psychology, General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations, General studies, Health administration, Human resources, Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations, Management science, Natural Sciences, Other health professions and related clinical sciences, Other military technologies and applied sciences.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Criminal justice and security | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Health professions | |
| Military technologies |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 91% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 78% |
| Students per faculty member | 25 to 1 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 18%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)About 32 miles away · about 1 hour 15 minutes by car |
| Town population | 7,337Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | WashingtonAbout 52 miles away · about 1 hour 35 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 32°F in January · 76°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Martinsburg East Wv Regional Airport, WV, about 10 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is American Public University System’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 21% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does American Public University System cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $9,597 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How do American Public University System’s graduates do?
- 57% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $44,409; the median federal debt at graduation is $21,743.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 449339
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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