American University
Washington, District of Columbia · Private, a large city · 7,266 undergraduates
Affiliated with United Methodist.
Is it hard to get into AU?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- Courses takenRequired
- College-prep programRequired
- RecommendationsRequired
- EssayRequired
How much does AU cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $28,397 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $19,487 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $27,150 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $31,984 |
| Over $110,000 | $53,571 |
- Room and board on campus
- $18,618 a year; $23,030 off campus
- Books and supplies
- $1,200 a year
- The school's own grants
- 62% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $30,259
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do AU students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
What do AU graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Do AU students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Who goes to AU?
- Background
- White 56%, Hispanic 14%, Black 8%, Asian 7%, Two or more 6%, International 5%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 4,246 beds
What do AU graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 49 | Hidden | $133,208 | $20,983 |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 24 | Hidden | $123,318 | Hidden |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 479 | $58,346 | $99,563 | $20,500 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 108 | $76,317 | $131,818 | $20,633 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Health | 131 | $49,977 | $68,019 | $19,500 |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 14 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Biology, General | 62 | Hidden | $56,397 | $20,500 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 70 | $38,268 | $80,536 | $21,056 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 27 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Mathematics | 1 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Chemistry | 8 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Mathematics | 21 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Physics | 16 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Statistics | 36 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 2 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| History | 63 | $46,964 | $64,095 | $23,250 |
| Literature | 50 | $45,230 | $61,835 | $21,500 |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 3 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Philosophy | 16 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 4 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 14 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Education (teaching)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 41 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | 18 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Dance | 7 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Design and Applied Arts | 26 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 33 | $36,862 | $50,337 | Hidden |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 99 | $38,663 | $61,982 | $19,500 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 25 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Music | 12 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computational Science | 2 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Data Science | 4 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 232 | $55,587 | $82,966 | $19,500 |
Compare AU with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with American University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences