American University
Washington, District of Columbia · Private Nonprofit · 62.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 74/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
American University, the private research institution in DC's Tenleytown neighborhood, posts an ROI score of 74 (Fair Value). The metrics behind it are mixed but mostly positive: median 10-year earnings of $77,370 are strong (well above the typical private-college median), modeled payback runs 7.3 years, completion rate is 75.5%, and the 5-year repayment rate of 83.0% is excellent. Median debt of $22,750 produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 - manageable. The dominant story is sticker shock: tuition is $58,771, average net price is $41,943, and four-year cost reaches $167,772. The earnings-premium subscore (55) is what drags overall ROI - AU's graduates earn well in absolute terms but the premium over a high-school baseline is modest given the price point. The school's identity (international relations, public policy, communications, journalism in the DC ecosystem) drives both its draws and its ROI quirks: IR and government majors get strong DC placement at modest entry-level salaries that scale meaningfully with experience, while finance, accounting, and CS grads do exceptionally well thanks to the DC-corridor employer base. AU works for committed, prepared students who can either secure substantial aid or are headed into business, finance, or CS tracks; for full-pay families chasing a humanities degree, the math is harder.
American University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $58,771/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $58,771/yr |
| Average net price | $41,943/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $167,772 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $77,370 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $46,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $241 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 75.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,266 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $58,771/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $41,943/year, or roughly $167,772 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $23,233/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $53,673/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $22,750, which works out to about $241 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($46,700) and comes to 0.49, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $23,233 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $20,444 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $26,035 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $30,063 |
| $110,001+ | $53,673 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $23,233 net annually - meaningful aid versus the $58,771 sticker, but still high in absolute terms. Pell, DC TAG, and AU institutional aid combine but cannot fully offset the price point. Four-year cost runs about $93,000. For a Pell-eligible IR or policy student headed to DC employment, the math can pencil; for low-income humanities majors, this is a heavy load to take on.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Note an inverted bracket: families earning $30,001-$48,000 pay $20,444 - LESS than the lowest-income tier and the lowest in the schedule. This reflects strong middle-income institutional aid plus full Pell. The $48,001-$75,000 group pays $26,035, jumping to $30,063 at $75,001-$110,000. Middle-income four-year totals run $82,000-$120,000. The aid math at the bottom is genuinely competitive, but middle-upper-middle families face the steepest implied marginal rates in the schedule.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $53,673 - over 91% of sticker, indicating minimal institutional discounting at the top. Four years runs roughly $215,000. With median 10-year earnings of $77,370, the lifetime ROI math relies heavily on graduate school or finance/CS career paths.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at American University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $73,865 | C+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $88,359 | B |
| International Relations | $73,604 | C+ |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $76,552 | C+ |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $78,410 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $66,970 | C |
| Psychology | $62,240 | D |
| Economics | $85,016 | B |
| Finance and Financial Management | $134,332 | B+ |
| Public Health | $70,831 | C |
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.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance is American's strongest ROI program by a wide margin - 65 graduates per year, $83,505 first-year and $134,332 four-year median earnings, with median debt of $22,625 producing a 0.27 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ ROI grade. DC and New York placement drives the strong earnings. For prepared students focused on a finance career, AU's combination of Kogod School of Business credentials and DC-corridor access delivers comfortable ROI even at full sticker.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is AU's largest cohort at 264 graduates, with $58,299 first-year and $88,359 four-year median earnings. Median debt of $24,697 yields a 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B ROI grade. Solid outcomes anchored by DC-corridor consulting, government-contracting, and trade-association employers.
International Relations and National Security Studies
International relations and national security is AU's signature program - 387 graduates per year, the largest cohort on campus. First-year earnings of $47,551 are modest because federal entry-level pay is compressed, but four-year earnings recover to $73,865 as graduates move up GS scales or shift to consulting and policy roles. Median debt of $23,250 yields a 0.49 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ ROI grade. The DC employment pipeline is the value here.
International Relations
International relations (216 graduates) shows essentially the same pattern as the national-security track - $48,034 first-year and $73,604 four-year median earnings, median debt of $23,250, and a 0.48 debt-to-earnings ratio with a C+ ROI grade.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 79 students per year and posts a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $25,773 and four-year earnings of $62,240 are paired with median debt of $23,799, producing a 0.92 debt-to-earnings ratio. The four-year recovery is meaningful (suggesting many graduates pursue master's or doctoral programs), but bachelor's-only outcomes here cannot service AU's price point. Prospective psychology students should commit to graduate school as part of the plan or rethink paying private tuition for this major.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 82.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 86.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 83.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 85.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How American University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 62.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 620-720 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 660-740 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 29-32 |
| Enrollment | 7,266 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 13.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $13,722 |
American admits 62.0% of applicants - moderately selective. SAT mid-range runs 620-720 math and 660-740 reading; ACT spans 29-32. These are strong scores reflecting a self-selecting applicant pool drawn to AU's IR and policy focus. The 75.5% completion rate aligns with this profile - prepared students who matriculate generally finish, and AU's structured DC internship pipeline reinforces persistence. Selectivity correlates with completion here in the expected way.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| American University (this school) | 74 | $41,943 | $77,370 |
| Southern Methodist University | 79 | $40,892 | $78,354 |
| The Catholic University of America | 77 | $29,561 | $73,250 |
| Elon University | 75 | $41,555 | $74,545 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach | 74 | $41,272 | $84,131 |
| Gallaudet University | 27 | $15,845 | $43,101 |
Who Thrives Here
American fits a politically engaged, internationally minded student drawn to DC - typically interested in IR, government, policy, journalism, or public health. Enrollment of 7,266 is mid-sized; classes are small enough to connect with faculty, and the DC location is the central differentiator. Pell rate of 13.9% is low, reflecting a relatively affluent student body. Strong fits are students with clear DC-corridor career plans (IR, policy, lobbying, federal government, advocacy NGOs) who can secure substantial aid. Weaker fits are full-pay families pursuing arts or humanities degrees without focused career plans.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
American University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $41,943 a year after aid ($167,772 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $77,370 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.3 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: its 75.5% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $22,750 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $46,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
American University: Common Questions
Is American University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether American University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 74/100 on our ROI scale. At $41,943 a year after aid ($167,772 over four years) against $77,370 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.3 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does American University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $41,943 a year, or roughly $167,772 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do American University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $77,370 ten years after enrolling, roughly $35,570 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off American University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 7.3 years for American University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do American University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $22,750, against average earnings of $46,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at American University?
The six-year graduation rate is 75.5%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.