American University
School Overview: Acceptance Rate, Tuition, and More
Work here? Claim your school's profile
$50,542
Avg tuition
BestColleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Discover programs by subject area to find the best college for your future.
Search All ProgramsWork here? Claim your school's profile
About American University
American University is a medium-sized private university located on an urban campus in Washington, District of Columbia. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,953, and admissions are very selective, with an acceptance rate of 39%. The university offers 60 bachelor's degrees, has an average graduation rate of 79%, and a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. Tuition and fees for students are $50,542.
Rankings
Learn more about how this school compares to other schools with rankings by BestColleges.
- #1 Ranked in Best Doctorate in Mass Communication and Media Studies Programs
- #2 Ranked in Best Online Doctorate in Educational Leadership Programs
- #2 Ranked in Best Online Doctorate in Educational Leadership Programs
- #2 Ranked in Best Master's in Game and Media Design Programs
- #2 Ranked in The Top Online Master's in Economics Programs
- #3 Ranked in Best Online Master's in Public Policy and Public Affairs Programs of 2022
- #3 Ranked in Best Online Master's Degrees in Public Policy and Public Affairs
- #7 Ranked in Master's in Communication Degree Programs
- #7 Ranked in Master's in Communication Degree Programs
- #8 Ranked in Best Public Relations and Image Management Programs
- #9 Ranked in Best Online Master's in Nutrition Programs
Admissions Breakdown
Acceptance Rate Insight
This school has a competitive acceptance rate.
This school is a little more selective about its students. Competitive acceptance schools welcome 15-50% of all applicants.
This school has a competitive acceptance rate.
This school is a little more selective about its students. Competitive acceptance schools welcome 15-50% of all applicants.
39% of students were accepted during the 2020-2021 school year. Sometimes schools with midrange acceptance rates have higher standards of entry but are still accessible to many students who apply.
Retention Rate Insight
85% of full-time students stayed to continue their studies the following academic year. These students started in Fall 2019 and returned in Fall 2020.
Graduation Rate Insight
79% of students graduated out of all full-time, first-time students who began their studies in Fall 2014. Keep in mind many students who enroll are not typically first-time students, as most are adult learners. Therefore, the number of first-time students is traditionally low.
Application Considerations
Test scores Considered (not required)
High school transcript Required
High school rank Not required or recommended
Letter of recommendation Required
High school GPA Required
Open admission No
Completion of college prep program Required
Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) Required
Transfer Credit Policy
Dual enrollment Yes
Credit for qualified life experience* Implied no
Advance placement (AP) credits Yes
*This can include previous jobs, trainings, licenses/credentials, or seminars. You may need to complete an exam or provide a portfolio to earn credit.
SAT & ACT
Students who attend this school typically have higher standardized test scores than students at other schools.
While test scores can be an important aspect of college applications, schools determine admission based on several factors, and these test scores are only a suggested range.
Learn more about how we determine school awardsACT 25th-75th Percentile 27-32
SAT 25th-75th Percentile 1220-1390
Learning Environment
Student Body Stats
This school has a student body of between 5,000 and 15,000 students.
Learn more about how we determine school awards14k
Students enrolled
33%
Online student enrollment
11:1
Student to faculty ratio
Ways Students Can Learn
Demographics
White
48%
Non-U.S. Citizen
13%
Hispanic
11%
Black
10%
Unknown
7%
Asian
6%
Two or more races
5%
American Indian/Alaska Native
0%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
Female student population
62%
Socio-economic diversity
15% of students received an income-based Federal Pell Grant intended for low-income students.
Explore Similar Schools
Online Programs
Offers Online Programs
Yes
Online Programs
23
Total Online Enrollment
4,609
Percent of Programs Online
88% On-campus
12% Online
Types of Online Programs Offered
Certificates 11% online
Associate Not offered
Bachelor's Not offered
Graduate Certificate 17% online
Master's 21% online
Doctorate 8% online
Student Charges
Tuition and Required Fees
Student Level | In-state | Out-of-state |
---|---|---|
Undergraduate | $50,542 | $50,542 |
Graduate | $34,533 | $34,533 |
Cost of Undergraduate Attendance
Costs based on full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates for the 2020–2021 academic year.
Costs to Consider | Price |
---|---|
Books and supplies | $800 |
On-campus room and board | $16,196 |
On-campus other expenses | $1,009 |
Off-campus (not with family) room and board | $16,129 |
Off-campus (not with family) other expenses | $1,009 |
Off-campus (with family) other expenses | $1,709 |
Total Undergraduate Cost
Total cost by category | In-state | Out-of-state |
---|---|---|
On-campus | $68,547 | $68,547 |
Off-campus without family | $68,480 | $68,480 |
Off-campus with family | $53,051 | $53,051 |
Financial Breakdown
Students Receiving Aid
Federal Grant Aid
15%
State Grant Aid
2%
Institution Grant Aid
53%
Pell Grant
15%
Average Aid Awarded
Financial Outlook
$24k
Average student debt after graduation
$47k
Average salary 6 years after starting school
Varsity Athletic Teams
NCAA Division I without football
of the overall student body is a member of an athletic team.
Participation
- Basketball
- Field Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Swimming Diving
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- All Track Combined
Degrees Awarded by Program
Degrees given for the 2020-2021 academic year.
1Area, Ethnic, Cultural, And Gender Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Women's Studies
BA
MA
DOC
American/United States Studies/Civilization
BA
MA
DOC
Asian Studies/Civilization
BA
MA
DOC
Latin American Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Near and Middle Eastern Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Russian Studies
BA
MA
DOC
French Studies
BA
MA
DOC
German Studies
BA
MA
DOC
African-American/Black Studies
BA
MA
DOC
2Biological And Biomedical Sciences
BA
MA
DOC
Biostatistics
BA
MA
DOC
Neuroscience
BA
MA
DOC
Biotechnology
BA
MA
DOC
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
BA
MA
DOC
Biochemistry
BA
MA
DOC
3Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
BA
MA
DOC
Business Statistics
BA
MA
DOC
Marketing/Marketing Management, General
BA
MA
DOC
Accounting
BA
MA
DOC
Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other
BA
MA
DOC
Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General
BA
MA
DOC
Finance, General
BA
MA
DOC
Business Administration and Management, General
BA
MA
DOC
Management Science, General
BA
MA
DOC
Taxation
BA
MA
DOC
Real Estate
BA
MA
DOC
Project Management
BA
MA
DOC
4Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
BA
MA
DOC
International and Intercultural Communication
BA
MA
DOC
Political Communication
BA
MA
DOC
Public Relations/Image Management
BA
MA
DOC
Journalism
BA
MA
DOC
Mass Communication/Media Studies
BA
MA
DOC
5Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services
BA
MA
DOC
Recording Arts Technology/Technician
BA
MA
DOC
6Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
BA
MA
DOC
Computer Science
BA
MA
DOC
7Education
BA
MA
DOC
Early Childhood Education and Teaching
BA
MA
DOC
Teacher Education, Multiple Levels
BA
MA
DOC
Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor
BA
MA
DOC
Secondary Education and Teaching
BA
MA
DOC
Elementary Education and Teaching
BA
MA
DOC
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities
BA
MA
DOC
International and Comparative Education
BA
MA
DOC
Educational Leadership and Administration, General
BA
MA
DOC
8English Language And Literature/Letters
BA
MA
DOC
Creative Writing
BA
MA
DOC
General Literature
BA
MA
DOC
9Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
BA
MA
DOC
Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies, General
BA
MA
DOC
10Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
BA
MA
DOC
Arabic Language and Literature
BA
MA
DOC
Spanish Language and Literature
BA
MA
DOC
11Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
BA
MA
DOC
Public Health Education and Promotion
BA
MA
DOC
Health/Health Care Administration/Management
BA
MA
DOC
Public Health, General (MPH, DPH)
BA
MA
DOC
12History
BA
MA
DOC
History, General
BA
MA
DOC
13Legal Professions And Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Legal Professions and Studies, Other
BA
MA
DOC
Intellectual Property Law
BA
MA
DOC
International Law and Legal Studies (LL.M., J.S.D./S.J.D.)
BA
MA
DOC
American/U.S. Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence (LL.M., M.C.J., J.S.D./S.J.D.)
BA
MA
DOC
Law (LL.B., J.D.)
BA
MA
DOC
Legal Studies, General
BA
MA
DOC
14Mathematics And Statistics
BA
MA
DOC
Statistics, General
BA
MA
DOC
Applied Mathematics
BA
MA
DOC
Mathematics, General
BA
MA
DOC
15Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BA
MA
DOC
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
BA
MA
DOC
16Natural Resources And Conservation
BA
MA
DOC
Environmental Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Environmental Science
BA
MA
DOC
17Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Sport and Fitness Administration/Management
BA
MA
DOC
18Philosophy And Religious Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Philosophy
BA
MA
DOC
Ethics
BA
MA
DOC
Religion/Religious Studies
BA
MA
DOC
19Physical Sciences
BA
MA
DOC
Chemistry, General
BA
MA
DOC
Physics, General
BA
MA
DOC
20Psychology
BA
MA
DOC
Psychology, General
BA
MA
DOC
Clinical Psychology
BA
MA
DOC
21Public Administration And Social Service Professions
BA
MA
DOC
Public Administration
BA
MA
DOC
Public Policy Analysis
BA
MA
DOC
22Security And Protective Services
BA
MA
DOC
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Homeland Security
BA
MA
DOC
23Social Sciences
BA
MA
DOC
Economics, General
BA
MA
DOC
Anthropology
BA
MA
DOC
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
BA
MA
DOC
Development Economics and International Development
BA
MA
DOC
International Economics
BA
MA
DOC
International Relations and Affairs
BA
MA
DOC
Political Science and Government, General
BA
MA
DOC
Sociology
BA
MA
DOC
24Visual And Performing Arts
BA
MA
DOC
Art History, Criticism and Conservation
BA
MA
DOC
Dance, General
BA
MA
DOC
Graphic Design
BA
MA
DOC
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management, General
BA
MA
DOC
Game and Interactive Media Design
BA
MA
DOC
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
BA
MA
DOC
Musical Theatre
BA
MA
DOC
Film/Cinema Studies
BA
MA
DOC
Cinematography and Film/Video Production
BA
MA
DOC
Fine/Studio Arts, General
BA
MA
DOC
Music, General
BA
MA
DOC
Explore Rankings
Explore More Resources
Data collected from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), [2020-2021]. In the absence of IPED data, information was collected directly from the school and is accurate as of the date of collection. Contact the school directly for the most current and complete information.
- Field Hockey
Share this school