American University

Doctoral Universities

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2016 Undergraduate Tuition

$44,046

3.5% growth from 2015

2016 Average Net Price

$31,758

After Financial Aid

2015 Student Loan

1.83%

Default Rate

2016 Acceptance Rate

25.9%

19,325 Applicants

2016 Enrolled Students

13,346

79.9% Full-Time

2016 Graduation Rate

81.2%

1,217 Graduates

About

Costs

Admissions

Enrollment

Graduates

Operations

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 (457 degrees awarded), General Business Administration & Management (248 degrees), and General Political Science & Government (150 degrees).

In 2016, 4,182 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at American University. 62.8% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 37.2% awarded men. The majority of degree recipients were white (2,206 degrees), 4.81 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, unknown (459 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at American University is $44,046, which is $18,190 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($25,856).

Photo by Ted Eytan

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research ActivityDoctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at American University is $44,046, which is $18,190 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($25,856).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $31,758.

In 2016, 63% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 46% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$44,046

2016 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2016, the cost of tuition at American University was $44,046. The cost of tuition at American University is $18,190 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($25,856).

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

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Average Net Price

$31,758

2016 Value

8.77%

1 Year Growth

In 2016 American University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $31,758. Between 2015 and 2016, the average net price of American University grew by 8.77%.

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.

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Other Student Expenses

$15,502

Room and Board

$800

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at American University was of $15,502 in 2016. 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 2015 and 2016. 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.

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Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

63%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

46%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

63% of undergraduate students at American University received grants or loans in 2016. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2015, when 63% 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.

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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.

1.83%

2015 Default Rate

49

Number of Defaults

In 2015 the default rate for borrower's at American University was 1.83%, which represents 49 out of the 2682 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.

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Admissions

American University received 19,325 undergraduate applications in 2016, which represents a 15.5% annual growth. Out of those 19,325 applicants, 5,008 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 25.9% acceptance rate.

There were 13,346 students enrolled at American University in 2016, and 50% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

American University has an overall enrollment yield of 33.5%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

25.9%

Acceptance Rate in 2016

5,008

Accepted Out of 19,325

In 2016, the undergraduate acceptance rate of American University was 25.9% (5,008 admissions from 19,325 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2015, which was 35%. Between 2015 and 2016, the number of applicants grew by 15.5%, while admissions declined by -14.5%.

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

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SAT Scores

50%

Submission Percentage

837

Scores Submitted

50% of enrolled first-time students at American University in 2016 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.

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Enrollment

American University has a total enrollment of 13,346 students. The full-time enrollment at American University is 10,657 students and the part-time enrollment is 2,689. This means that 79.9% of students enrolled at American University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at American University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 51.6% White, 11% Hispanic or Latino, 8.92% Black or African American, 6.08% Asian, 3.78% Two or More Races, 0.202% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0824% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at American University in full-time Undergraduate programs are majority White Female (34.5%), followed by White Male (21.7%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (8.23%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are majority White Female (28.4%), followed by White Male (19.2%) and Black or African American Female (7.52%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

79.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at American University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 13,346 students. The full-time enrollment at American University is 10,657 and the part-time enrollment is 2,689. This means that 79.9% of students enrolled at American University are enrolled full-time compared with 78.1% at similar Doctoral Universities.

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

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Retention Rate over Time

90%

2016 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 90%. 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.

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Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    6,886

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    1,470

  3. Black or African American

    1,190

The enrolled student population at American University is 51.6% White, 11% Hispanic or Latino, 8.92% Black or African American, 6.08% Asian, 3.78% Two or More Races, 0.202% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0824% 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 51.9% White, 12.8% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.36% 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, 1,098 students (8.23%) did not report their race.

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Graduates

In 2016, 1068 more women than men received degrees from American University. The majority of degree recipients at American University are white (2,206 degrees awarded). There were 4.81 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, unknown (459 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at American University is International Relations & Affairs (457 degrees awarded), followed by General Business Administration & Management (248 degrees) and General Political Science & Government (150 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 (606 degrees awarded), Social Sciences (1,173 degrees), and Cultural & Gender Studies (57 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 (353,554 people), Miscellaneous managers (337,684 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (207,969 people), Marketing & sales managers (143,803 people), and Postsecondary teachers (137,399 people).

The most specialized majors at American University are Legal (606 degrees awarded), Social Sciences (1,173 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (57 degrees), Communications (356 degrees), and Philosophy and Religious Studies (42 degrees).

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Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Chief executives & legislators

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 Chief executives & legislators, Physicians & surgeons, Sales engineers, Sales representatives, wholesale & manufacturing, and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

The most specialized majors at American University are Legal (606 degrees awarded), Social Sciences (1,173 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (57 degrees), Communications (356 degrees), and Philosophy and Religious Studies (42 degrees).

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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 (393,759 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (335,059 people), Legal services (304,509 people), Insurance carriers & related activities (193,270 people), and Justice, public order, & safety activities (187,177 people).

The most specialized majors at American University are Legal (606 degrees awarded), Social Sciences (1,173 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (57 degrees), Communications (356 degrees), and Philosophy and Religious Studies (42 degrees).

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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

  1. International Relations & Affairs

    457 degrees awarded

  2. General Business Administration & Management

    248 degrees awarded

  3. General Political Science & Government

    150 degrees awarded

In 2016, the most common bachelors degree concentration at American University was International Relations & Affairs with 457 degrees awarded.

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

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Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

Degrees Awarded to Men

  1. 1,557

  2. 2,625

In 2016, 1,557 degrees were awarded to men at American University, which is 0.593 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,625).

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

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Most Common Male Majors

In 2016, 287 degrees were awarded to men at American University in International Relations & Affairs, which is 0.592 times less than the 485 female recipients with that same degree.

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Most Common Female Majors

In 2016, 485 degrees were awarded to women at American University in International Relations & Affairs, which is 1.69 times more than the 287 male recipients with that same degree.

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Time to Complete

76%

100% Completion Time

82%

150% Completion Time

In 2016, 76% of students graduating from American University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 82% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 82% 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.

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Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

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 (67.2%).

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, 9.94% of graduates (121 students) did not report their race.

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Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    2,206 degrees awarded

  2. Unknown

    459 degrees awarded

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    389 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at American University is white (2,206 degrees awarded). There were 4.81 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, unknown (459 degrees).

11% of degree recipients (459 students) did not report their race.

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Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

  1. White Female

    1,312 degrees awarded

  2. White Male

    894 degrees awarded

  3. Black or African American Female

    265 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at American University is white female (1,312 degrees awarded). There were 1.47 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (894 degrees).

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Operations

American University has an endowment valued at nearly $590M, as of the end of the 2015 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $29.9M (5.07%), compared to the 1.54% average return ($4.18M on $271M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2015, American University had a total expenditure of $491M. Of that $491M, they spent $233M on salaries and $491M on benefits.

American University employs 286 Instructors, 184 Professors, and 161 Associate professors. Most academics at American University are Female Instructors (168), Male Professors(121), and Male Instructors (118).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at American University are: Management, with 397 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 257 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 257 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$590M

2015 Endowment

8.06%

growth from 2014

American University has an endowment valued at about $590M, as of the end of the 2015 fiscal year. The endowment of American University grew 8.06% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $319M 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.

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Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

  1. $20.5M - Federal

  2. $0 - State

  3. $0 - Local

As of 2015, American University received $20.5M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $0 from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

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Expenses

Primary Expenses

Expenditure values can vary depending on whether the institution is public or private, and are not available for private-for-profit schools.

$233M

Salary Expenditure

$491M

Benefits Expenditure

In 2015, American University had a total expenditure of $491M. Of that $491M, they spent $233M on salaries and $491M on benefits.

The bar chart shows the share of the primary expenses at American University over time, and the line chart shows the expenditure for solely salaries and benefits over time compared to the median for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification grouping.

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Expenditure by Category

This tree map shows all of the primary expenses of Research at American University as a share of total expenditure.

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Salary Expenditure

$233M

2015 Salaries

2.31%

growth from 2014

In 2015, American University paid a median of $233M in salaries, which represents 47.4% of their overall expenditure ($491M) and a 2.31% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 3.56% growth from 2013 and a 6.13% growth from 2012.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 206M (43.4% of overall expenditures).

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Instructional Salaries

$79.1M

Instructional Salaries

785

Number of Employees

In 2015, American University paid a total of $79.1M to 785 employees working as instructors, which represents 34% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $62.1M (30.2%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

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Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Instructor

Most Common Instructor

286 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

397 Employees

In 2016, the most common positions for instructional staff at American University were Instructor with 286 employees; Professor with 184 employees; and Professor with 161 employees.

In 2016, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at American University were Management with 397 employees; Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 257 employees; and Business and Financial Operations with 257 employees.

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Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

  1. Female Instructor

  2. Male Professor

  3. Male Instructor

In 2016, the most common demographic for instructional staff at American University was Female Instructor with 168 employees, Male Professor with 121 employees, and Male Instructor with 118 employees.

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

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