Private nonprofit · Washington, District of Columbia
American University: cost, real price and admissions
Sticker price (2024-25)
$79,371
on campus
Avg net price (2023-24)
$39,676
After grants
Admitted (Fall 2024)
62%
Moderately selective
Graduate in 6 yrs
75%
College Scorecard
Sources: NCES College Navigator (IPEDS) and College Scorecard · Data last checked 2026-10-22
Overview
American University is a private nonprofit institution in Washington, District of Columbia with about 7,266 undergraduate degree-seeking students (College Scorecard). Its published cost of attendance for a first-year student living on campus was $79,371 in 2024-25, while first-year students who received grants paid $39,676 on average in 2023-24. In Fall 2024 it received 17,173 applications and admitted 62% of applicants. 75% of full-time first-time students graduated within six years (College Scorecard).
Overview text is assembled from the federal figures on this page; it contains no claims we could not source.
- Type
- 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Campus setting
- City: Large
- Campus housing
- Yes
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 10 to 1
- Religious affiliation
- United Methodist
- Total students
- 12,321 (7,476 undergraduate)
- Accreditor
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- Source
- College Navigator / College Scorecard
Net price, earnings and debt
- Average net price per year
- $41,302
- Median earnings 10 years after entry
- $85,458
- Median federal debt at completion
- $22,250
Four years at the average net price ($165,208) is about 1.93× one year of median earnings.
Earnings and debt cover only students who received federal aid (grants or loans), not every graduate, and include students who did not finish. They describe past students and do not show that a college causes higher or lower earnings: who enrolls, what they study and where they live after all matter. International students are generally not in these figures.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (October 15, 2026 release). Earnings: median earnings of former students who received federal financial aid, measured 10 years after they entered the college (MD_EARN_WNE_P10). Debt: median federal loan debt of undergraduate borrowers who completed (GRAD_DEBT_MDN). Net price: average annual net price for federal aid recipients (NPT4). Compare colleges.
Cost at your income
What families like yours paid
Your family's yearly income
Average net price, $48k–75k (2023-24)
$26,035
About $2,170 a month, 67% below the $79,371 sticker price
Averages for full-time first-year students who received federal (Title IV) aid. Your price depends on your own finances; use the school's net price calculator for a personal estimate. IPEDS does not publish how many students are in each income band for this figure.
Why can a higher income band cost less here? Each band is a separate average for students who received federal aid and fall in that income group. Small groups and a different mix of grants in each group can make a higher band come out lower. These are the published figures, not adjusted.
Source: NCES College Navigator (IPEDS) · Data year 2023-24
All income levels at a glance
| Family income | Avg net price | Students in band |
|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $28,397 | 133 |
| $30k–48k | $19,487 | 86 |
| $48k–75k | $27,150 | 127 |
| $75k–110k | $31,984 | 126 |
| $110k+ | $53,571 | 535 |
College Scorecard (most recent cohorts, release 2026-10-15), students who received federal (Title IV) aid. Bands with fewer than 30 students are greyed out because one or two students can move the average a lot. Counts: Scorecard fields NUM41–NUM45.
Why can a higher income band cost less here? Each band is a separate average for students who received federal aid and fall in that income group. Small groups and a different mix of grants in each group can make a higher band come out lower. These are the published figures, not adjusted.
Get a personal estimate: American University net price calculator.
Source: NCES College Navigator (IPEDS) · Data year 2023-24
Admissions
62% of applicants admitted
Moderately selective
Applicants
17,173
Admitted
62%
Admitted who enrolled
16%
SAT midpoint (Scorecard)
1360
Band is our label for the federal admit rate: Most selective under 15%; Very selective 15%–35%; Selective 35%–60%; Moderately selective 60%–85%; Admits most applicants 85%+. It is not a prediction of your chances.
Requirements and test policy: official admissions site.
Source: NCES College Navigator (IPEDS) · Data year Fall 2024
Cost of attendance
Where the $79,371 goes
Tuition & fees
$58,771
74%
Housing & food
$17,982
23%
Books & supplies
$1,000
1%
Other expenses
$1,618
2%
Sticker price vs. the average grant
67% of full-time first-year students received a grant (2023-24); sticker price is 2024-25.
Sticker price over time
Change 2021-22 to 2024-25: 16%.
Source: NCES College Navigator (IPEDS) · Data year 2021-22 to 2024-25
Financial aid
Who gets aid, and how much
| Type | Share | Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Any grant or scholarship | 67% | $36,349 |
| Pell grants | 16% | $5,837 |
| Grants from the school | 66% | $35,415 |
| State or local grants | 2% | $449 |
| Federal student loans | 46% | $5,129 |
Full-time first-year undergraduates. School grants combine need-based and merit awards; federal data does not separate them.
Source: NCES College Navigator (IPEDS) · Data year 2023-24
Outcomes
Graduation, debt and earnings
75%
Graduate within 6 years
Full-time, first-time
88%
Return for year two
Full-time first-year students
Median federal debt
$22,250
Graduates; about $236/month over 10 years at 5.5%*
Median earnings
$85,458
10 years after starting
*Illustrative payment on a standard 10-year plan at an assumed 5.5% rate; your rate may differ.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, College Scorecard API (release 2026-10-15) · Data year most recent cohorts, release 2026-10-15
Ways to pay
Close the gap
Federal aid & the FAFSA
Pell Grants, work-study and federal loans start with the FAFSA.
Explore →
District of Columbia aid
State grants and programs for residents.
Explore →
Sign in to track deadlines
Admission, FAFSA, CSS Profile and scholarship dates in one place.
Explore →
Read your aid offer
Compare offers and spot loans dressed as aid.
Explore →
Official links: financial aid · net price calculator · website
FAQ
Common questions
How much does American University cost per year?
The published cost of attendance for a first-year student living on campus was $79,371 in 2024-25, according to NCES College Navigator.
What do students actually pay at American University after aid?
First-year students who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $39,676 in 2023-24. By family income, averages ranged from $20,444 to $53,673.
What is the acceptance rate at American University?
In Fall 2024, American University received 17,173 applications and admitted 62% of applicants; 16% of admitted students enrolled.
What is the graduation rate at American University?
75% of full-time first-time students graduated within six years, per the College Scorecard. Median federal debt for graduates was $22,250.
Sources & method
Data last checked 2026-10-22. Every figure comes from the U.S. Department of Education sources below, with the data year shown next to it; nothing is estimated. Where federal tools disagree, we show both. Data on this page is licensed CC BY 4.0.
We don't sell student data. Nothing on this page asks for your information.
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