American University

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$50,542

3% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$37,319

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

1.76%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

38.7%

20,036 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

14,001

74.3% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

79.1%

1,409 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 (434 degrees awarded), General Business Administration & Management (181 degrees), and General Political Science & Government (164 degrees).

In 2020, 4,579 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at American University. 64.8% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 35.2% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,274 degrees), 4.23 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (538 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at American University is $50,542, which is $21,913 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,629).

Photo by Ted Eytan

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at American University is $50,542, which is $21,913 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,629).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $37,319.

In 2020, 44% of undergraduate students attending American University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 36% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$50,542

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at American University was $50,542. The cost of tuition at American University is $21,913 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,629).

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

Average Net Price

$37,319

2020 Value

7.78%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 American University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $37,319. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of American University grew by 7.78%.

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

$14,880

Room and Board

$800

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at American University was of $14,880 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $800. The cost of room and board decreased by 7.58% between 2019 and 2020. 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

44%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

36%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

44% of undergraduate students at American University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a decline of 17% with respect to 2019, when 53% 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.

1.76%

2018 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at American University was 1.76%, which represents 49 out of the 2788 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 20,036 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 8.04% annual growth. Out of those 20,036 applicants, 7,744 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 38.7% acceptance rate.

There were 14,001 students enrolled at American University in 2020, and 50% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

American University has an overall enrollment yield of 20.8%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

38.7%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

7,744

Accepted Out of 20,036

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of American University was 38.7% (7,744 admissions from 20,036 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 36.1%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants grew by 8.04%, while admissions grew by 15.7%.

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

SAT Scores

50%

Submission Percentage

800

Scores Submitted

50% of enrolled first-time students at American University in 2020 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 14,001 students. The full-time enrollment at American University is 10,396 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,605. This means that 74.3% of students enrolled at American University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at American University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 48.3% White, 10.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Black or African American, 5.93% Asian, 4.63% Two or More Races, 0.136% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0929% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at American University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (31.3%), followed by White Male (19.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (8.01%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (29.1%), followed by White Male (18.5%) and Black or African American Female (7%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

74.3%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at American University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 14,001 students. The full-time enrollment at American University is 10,396 and the part-time enrollment is 3,605. This means that 74.3% of students enrolled at American University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.4% 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

85%

2020 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 85%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84.5%), 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
6,763
Hispanic or Latino
1,528
Black or African American
1,409

The enrolled student population at American University is 48.3% White, 10.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Black or African American, 5.93% Asian, 4.63% Two or More Races, 0.136% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0929% 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 49.8% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.74% 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, 978 students (6.99%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 1355 more women than men received degrees from American University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at American University is white (2,274 degrees awarded). There were 4.23 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (538 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at American University is International Relations & Affairs (434 degrees awarded), followed by General Business Administration & Management (181 degrees) and General Political Science & Government (164 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 (495 degrees awarded), Social Sciences (1,173 degrees), and Communications (337 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 (369,069 people), Other managers (301,464 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (186,436 people), Chief executives & legislators (138,021 people), and Postsecondary teachers (137,153 people).

The most specialized majors at American University are Legal (495 degrees awarded), Social Sciences (1,173 degrees), Communications (337 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (45 degrees), and Philosophy and Religious Studies (41 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists

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 Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Aerospace engineers, Surgeons, and Physicians

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 (406,690 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (345,764 people), Legal services (309,071 people), Computer Systems Design (218,605 people), and Justice, public order, & safety activities (198,707 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
434 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
181 degree-majorss awarded
General Political Science & Government
164 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at American University was International Relations & Affairs with 434 degrees awarded.

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

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,612

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

2,967

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 1,612 degrees were awarded to men at American University, which is 0.543 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,967).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 283 degrees were awarded to men at American University in International Relations & Affairs, which is 0.591 times less than the 479 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 479 degrees were awarded to women at American University in International Relations & Affairs, which is 1.69 times more than the 283 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

76%

100% Completion Time

80%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 76% of students graduating from American University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 80% 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 Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at American University is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

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, 1.35% of graduates (19 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
2,274 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
538 degrees awarded
Black or African American
434 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at American University is white (2,274 degrees awarded). There were 4.23 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (538 degrees).

7.12% of degree recipients (326 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Female
1,409 degrees awarded
White Male
865 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
383 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at American University is white female (1,409 degrees awarded). There were 1.63 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (865 degrees).

Operations

American University has an endowment valued at nearly $701M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $5.55M (0.791%), compared to the 3.48% average return ($10.5M on $302M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, American University had a total salary expenditure of $628M. American University employs 321 Instructors, 187 Professors, and 178 Associate professors. Most academics at American University are Female Instructors (187), Male Instructors(134), and Male Professors (121).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at American University are: Management, with 455 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 327 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 275 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$701M

2020 Endowment

0.527%

decline from 2019

American University has an endowment valued at about $701M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of American University declined 0.527% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $399M 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

$26.9M - Federal
$0 - State
$0 - Local

As of 2020, American University received $26.9M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $0 from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$278M

2020 Salaries

4.36%

growth from 2019

In 2020, American University paid a median of $278M in salaries, which represents 44.3% of their overall expenditure ($628M) and a 4.36% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 6.44% growth from 2018 and a 10.6% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (43% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$89.6M

Instructional Salaries

827

Number of Employees

In 2020, American University paid a total of $89.6M to 827 employees working as instructors, which represents 32.2% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $69.9M (29.4%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Instructor

Most Common Instructor

321 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

455 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at American University were Instructor with 321 employees; Professor with 187 employees; and Professor with 178 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at American University were Management with 455 employees; Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 327 employees; and Business and Financial Operations with 275 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Female Instructor
Male Instructor
Male Professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at American University was Female Instructor with 187 employees, Male Instructor with 134 employees, and Male Professor with 121 employees.

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

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