American InterContinental University-Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 7/100 · Poor Value
American InterContinental University-Atlanta earns a 7/100 ROI score and a Poor Value tier -- one of the very lowest scores in our database. Every metric is severely impaired. Median earnings six years after entry are $33,200, climbing only marginally to $36,144 by year ten -- almost no career progression. The earnings premium of 1.7% over a high-school graduate is essentially indistinguishable from no degree at all. The 180-year payback period is the algorithm's flag that earnings can never recoup cost. Net price is $16,482 -- notably HIGHER than the $13,527 sticker tuition because for-profit aid economics combined with required fees and supplies push total cost-of-attendance above tuition alone. Total four-year cost is $65,928. Median federal debt is $31,000 -- one of the highest debt loads in this batch -- producing a 0.934 debt-to-earnings ratio. The repayment record is among the worst in our database: only 36% of borrowers are making progress at three years, and 5-year repayment falls to 30% (active default territory). Completion is just 20.8%. The honest read: AIU-Atlanta is a textbook case of for-profit higher education's failure mode. Students borrow heavily, fail to complete at extremely high rates, struggle to repay, and those who do graduate earn essentially the same as non-college peers. There is no defensible argument for choosing this institution over Georgia's strong public alternatives (Georgia State, Kennesaw State, Georgia Southern).
The data raises concerns about American InterContinental University-Atlanta
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score7/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate20.8% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
American InterContinental University-Atlanta
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $13,527/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $13,527/yr |
| Average net price | $16,482/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $65,928 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $36,144 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $31,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $329 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 20.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 734 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at American InterContinental University-Atlanta is $13,527/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $16,482/year, or roughly $65,928 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $16,482/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with $31,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $329 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $36,144 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.93 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $16,482 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | N/A |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | N/A |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Only the $0-$30K bracket is reported, at $16,482 net price. The other brackets are entirely null, indicating essentially no students above $30K household income enroll here -- consistent with the 81% Pell rate. Across four years, low-income families face $65,928 total cost. With $33,200 six-year median earnings and $31,000 debt, the math is impossible. Pell-eligible students should treat enrollment here as a financial emergency averted.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets are entirely null in current Scorecard data. The school does not enroll meaningful numbers of students in the $30K-$110K income range, and no reliable net-price figures exist. This is not an institution that serves middle-class families; the demographic concentration is severe.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income brackets are also null. AIU-Atlanta's marketing and enrollment funnel is targeted almost exclusively at low-income working adults. There is no high-income market for this institution and no available data to discuss.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at American InterContinental University-Atlanta with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $53,959 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $45,672 | F |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $71,486 | D |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $47,083 | F |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $32,318 | - |
| Accounting | $53,956 | F |
| Design and Applied Arts | $23,436 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business administration is AIU-Atlanta's largest program (66 graduates). Earnings are $43,528 one year out and $53,959 four years out, with $49,961 median debt and a 1.148 debt-to-earnings ratio (F grade). The debt level here is staggering -- nearly $50K for a program that produces sub-$45K starting salaries. Borrowers in this program are essentially set up for distress. Compare to Georgia State University, where similar business graduates earn comparable wages at $25K total cost.
Computer and Information Sciences
CIS graduates earn $51,687 one year out and $71,486 four years out -- the strongest outcomes at the school. Median debt is $45,606 with a 0.882 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). 17 graduates per cohort. Even this 'best' program at AIU produces D-grade economics; the debt load eats most of the earnings premium. Georgia public CS programs deliver similar earnings at one-third the cost.
Accounting
Accounting graduates earn $46,628 one year out and $53,956 four years out, with $51,848 median debt and a 1.112 debt-to-earnings ratio (F grade). 5 graduates per cohort. The $52K debt against accounting starting salaries is not just bad -- it's structurally crippling. Georgia State or Kennesaw State accounting programs produce CPA-eligible graduates at a fraction of the debt.
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health admin graduates earn $40,754 one year out and $47,083 four years out, with $52,813 median debt -- a 1.296 debt-to-earnings ratio (F grade). 17 graduates per cohort. The debt is the highest of any program at the school. This is the kind of outcome that motivated federal regulators to push gainful-employment rules; students borrow more than they will earn for years.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal justice graduates earn $35,862 one year out and $45,672 four years out, with $47,500 median debt and a 1.325 debt-to-earnings ratio (F grade). 32 graduates per cohort makes this a major program. Public-sector law-enforcement careers cap earnings; borrowing $47K for those careers is a financial trap. Georgia public alternatives produce comparable credentials for $15K-$20K total.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 27.4% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 35.7% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 29.7% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 39.2% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 734 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 81.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,217 |
AIU-Atlanta's admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with for-profit institutions that operate effectively open enrollment. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are also not reported because the school does not require standardized testing. The 20.8% completion rate combined with open admission paints the standard for-profit pattern: aggressive enrollment, poor retention, and weak credentialing outcomes for the majority of students who enroll.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
AIU's peer set includes South University Savannah, Strayer University Georgia, National American University Rapid City, Salem University, and the College of Westchester -- a uniformly for-profit cluster. Within this group AIU-Atlanta posts among the worst outcomes. Strayer and South University, while still weak, show somewhat better completion and earnings. The peer set as a whole is defined by structural underperformance; no institution in this cluster delivers acceptable ROI.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| American InterContinental University-Atlanta (this school) | 7 | $16,482 | $36,144 |
| South University-Montgomery | 7 | $27,807 | $34,421 |
| National American University-Rapid City | 7 | $31,062 | $37,325 |
| South University-Virginia Beach | 7 | $27,843 | $34,421 |
| South University-Savannah Online | 7 | $28,049 | $34,421 |
| South University-Austin | 7 | $25,680 | $34,421 |
Who Thrives Here
AIU-Atlanta enrolls 734 students with an 81.2% Pell rate -- one of the highest Pell concentrations in our database, indicating an overwhelmingly low-income working-adult student body, predominantly Black women in metro Atlanta. The school targets a population with limited information about alternatives. The fit profile that the data supports: there is essentially no student profile for whom this institution is the right choice. Working adults in Atlanta seeking flexible degree options should evaluate Georgia State University Perimeter College, Kennesaw State's online programs, or even community college plus transfer pathways -- all of which will produce dramatically better financial outcomes.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about American InterContinental University-Atlanta. With a net cost of $16,482 per year and median graduate earnings of only $36,144 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 20.8% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $31,000 against $36,144 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.86 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.