American University

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2019 Undergraduate Tuition

$49,070

3% growth from 2018

2019 Average Net Price

$40,469

After Financial Aid

2017 Student Loan

2.55%

Default Rate

2019 Acceptance Rate

36.1%

18,545 Applicants

2019 Enrolled Students

14,318

78.3% Full-Time

2018 Graduation Rate

79.8%

1,274 Graduates

About

American University is a higher education institution located in District of Columbia, DC. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at American University were International Relations & Affairs (448 degrees awarded), General Business Administration & Management (190 degrees), and General Political Science & Government (151 degrees).

In 2019, 4,492 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at American University. 63.3% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 36.7% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,289 degrees), 4.64 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (493 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at American University is $49,070, which is $20,570 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

Photo by Ted Eytan

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at American University is $49,070, which is $20,570 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $40,469.

In 2019, 53% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 41% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$49,070

2019 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2019, the cost of tuition at American University was $49,070. The cost of tuition at American University is $20,570 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

This chart compares the tuition costs of American University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$40,469

2019 Value

22.5%

1 Year Growth

In 2019 American University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $40,469. Between 2018 and 2019, the average net price of American University grew by 22.5%.

This chart compares the average net price of American University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$16,100

Room and Board

$800

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at American University was of $16,100 in 2019. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $800. The cost of room and board increased by 1.27% between 2018 and 2019. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at American University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

53%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

41%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

53% of undergraduate students at American University received grants or loans in 2019. This represents a decline of 5.36% with respect to 2018, when 56% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at American University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2.55%

2017 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2017 the default rate for borrower's at American University was 2.55%, which represents 70 out of the 2750 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

American University received 18,545 undergraduate applications in 2019, which represents a 2.31% annual decline. Out of those 18,545 applicants, 6,691 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 36.1% acceptance rate.

There were 14,318 students enrolled at American University in 2019, and 53% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

American University has an overall enrollment yield of 26.2%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

36.1%

Acceptance Rate in 2019

6,691

Accepted Out of 18,545

In 2019, the undergraduate acceptance rate of American University was 36.1% (6,691 admissions from 18,545 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2018, which was 31.5%. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of applicants declined by −2.31%, while admissions grew by 11.7%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of American University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

53%

Submission Percentage

937

Scores Submitted

53% of enrolled first-time students at American University in 2019 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

American University has a total enrollment of 14,318 students. The full-time enrollment at American University is 11,204 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,114. This means that 78.3% of students enrolled at American University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at American University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 48.2% White, 10.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.65% Black or African American, 5.78% Asian, 4.04% Two or More Races, 0.126% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0559% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at American University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (31.4%), followed by White Male (19.9%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (7.85%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (28.5%), followed by White Male (16.5%) and Black or African American Female (6.07%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

78.3%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at American University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 14,318 students. The full-time enrollment at American University is 11,204 and the part-time enrollment is 3,114. This means that 78.3% of students enrolled at American University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at American University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

87%

2019 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at American University was 87%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (83%), American University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at American University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
6,900
Hispanic or Latino
1,497
Black or African American
1,238

The enrolled student population at American University is 48.2% White, 10.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.65% Black or African American, 5.78% Asian, 4.04% Two or More Races, 0.126% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0559% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50.3% White, 14.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.48% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,154 students (8.06%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2019, 1194 more women than men received degrees from American University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at American University is white (2,289 degrees awarded). There were 4.64 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (493 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at American University is International Relations & Affairs (448 degrees awarded), followed by General Business Administration & Management (190 degrees) and General Political Science & Government (151 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at American University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Legal (533 degrees awarded), Social Sciences (1,235 degrees), and Communications (367 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at American University are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (355,153 people), Other managers (340,094 people), Social workers, all other (224,311 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (165,105 people), and Chief executives & legislators (150,347 people).

The most specialized majors at American University are Legal (533 degrees awarded), Social Sciences (1,235 degrees), Communications (367 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (47 degrees), and Public Administration and Social Service (269 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at American University are Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Public relations specialists, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Dentists, and Chief executives & legislators

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at American University are Elementary & secondary schools (458,416 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (350,281 people), Legal services (296,032 people), Computer Systems Design (241,812 people), and Justice, public order, & safety activities (222,485 people).

Degrees

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by American University.

Most Common

International Relations & Affairs
448 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
190 degree-majorss awarded
General Political Science & Government
151 degree-majorss awarded

In 2019, the most common bachelors degree concentration at American University was International Relations & Affairs with 448 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at American University according to their major.

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

1,649

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2019

2,843

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2019

In 2019, 1,649 degrees were awarded to men at American University, which is 0.58 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,843).

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 majors at American University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2019, 306 degrees were awarded to men at American University in International Relations & Affairs, which is 0.613 times less than the 499 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2019, 499 degrees were awarded to women at American University in International Relations & Affairs, which is 1.63 times more than the 306 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

76%

100% Completion Time

79%

150% Completion Time

In 2019, 76% of students graduating from American University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 79% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 80% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at American University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (69.1%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 6.67% of graduates (85 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
2,289 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
493 degrees awarded
Black or African American
437 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at American University is white (2,289 degrees awarded). There were 4.64 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (493 degrees).

7.19% of degree recipients (323 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Female
1,405 degrees awarded
White Male
884 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
332 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at American University is white female (1,405 degrees awarded). There were 1.59 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (884 degrees).

Operations

American University has an endowment valued at nearly $705M, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $26M (3.69%), compared to the 4.24% average return ($13.2M on $311M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2019, American University had a total salary expenditure of $626M. American University employs 328 Instructors, 194 Professors, and 168 Associate professors. Most academics at American University are Female Instructors (189), Male Instructors(139), and Male Professors (127).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at American University are: Management, with 453 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 316 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 275 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$705M

2019 Endowment

4.23%

growth from 2018

American University has an endowment valued at about $705M, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The endowment of American University grew 4.23% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $394M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at American University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$24.7M - Federal
$0 - State
$0 - Local

As of 2019, American University received $24.7M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $0 from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$267M

2019 Salaries

6.44%

growth from 2018

In 2019, American University paid a median of $267M in salaries, which represents 42.6% of their overall expenditure ($626M) and a 6.44% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 10.6% growth from 2017 and a 0.654% growth from 2016.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.4% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$92M

Instructional Salaries

840

Number of Employees

In 2019, American University paid a total of $92M to 840 employees working as instructors, which represents 34.5% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71.1M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Instructor

Most Common Instructor

328 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

453 Employees

In 2019, the most common positions for instructional staff at American University were Instructor with 328 employees; Professor with 194 employees; and Professor with 168 employees.

In 2019, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at American University were Management with 453 employees; Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 316 employees; and Business and Financial Operations with 275 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Female Instructor
Male Instructor
Male Professor

In 2019, the most common demographic for instructional staff at American University was Female Instructor with 189 employees, Male Instructor with 139 employees, and Male Professor with 127 employees.

This chart shows the gender split between each academic rank present at American University.

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