National university
#8 Best colleges in the Washington, DC areaAmerican University
Washington, DC · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $41,943 a year
Median debt at graduation: $22,750 (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 colleges for criminal justice in America#37 of 1,046
- Best colleges for accounting in America#79 of 1,132
- Best colleges for business in America#133 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#121 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#115 of 1,238
- Best colleges for finance in America#70 of 744
Show 15 more
- Best colleges in America#210 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#165 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#181 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#168 of 1,358
- Best colleges for history in America#166 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#161 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#171 of 1,215
- Best mid-size colleges in America#94 of 667
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#262 of 1,829
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#169 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#165 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#160 of 1,063
- Best colleges for computer science in America#118 of 750
- Best colleges for economics in America#164 of 788
- Best colleges in the Washington, DC area#8 of 34
In District of Columbia
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.75%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.88%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,381 · ACT 30.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.10 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$19,197
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 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $76,058 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) | 7,817 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 38% · Women 62% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 16% |
| Total students | 13,019 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $41,943 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $76,058 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $22,750 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 75% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 75% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 74% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 79% |
| First-year retention | 88% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $77,370 |
| Admission rate | 62% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $75 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 14% |
| Average SAT | 1381 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 660–740 |
| SAT math | 620–720 |
| ACT composite | 29–32 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (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 |
|---|---|
| Finance | |
| Accounting | |
| Computer science | |
| Business administration | |
| Economics | |
| Public relations | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | |
| International relations | |
| Political science | |
| Pre-law and legal studies | |
| Public health | |
| Communication studies | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Journalism | |
| Teacher education | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Ethnic and gender studies | |
| Psychology | |
| History | |
| Literature | |
| Anthropology | |
| Film and video |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Applied mathematics, Area studies, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Computational Science, Dance, Design, Fine arts, Liberal arts, Mathematics, Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Music, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Physics, Religious studies, Romance languages, Sociology, Statistics, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Business | |
| Communication | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Criminal justice and security |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 3% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 1% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $17,982 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Patriot League |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 10 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 59%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $84,113Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 54% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)About 6 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 681,2942020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | WashingtonAbout 4 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 34°F1991–2020 normal, from DALECARLIA RSVR, MD US, about 1 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 78°F1991–2020 normal, from DALECARLIA RSVR, MD US, about 1 miles away (NOAA) |
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 | 0.08 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.02 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.10 | 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 University’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 12% 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 University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $41,943 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 hard is it to get into American University?
- American University admitted 62% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do American University’s graduates do?
- 75% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $77,370; the median federal debt at graduation is $22,750.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 131159
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): United Methodist
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