American University
Washington, DC
62%
Acceptance Rate
$58,771
Avg Cost (In-State)
$58,771
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
77%
Graduation Rate
7,266
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 15
Early Deadline
November 15 (Early Decision I) and January 15 (Early Decision II)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
1
Application Fee
$75
Interview
Not required
Essays: One personal essay required through Common Application (650 word maximum)
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$32,917
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$44,409
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
55%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Relations and National Security Studies. | $47,551 | $73,865 | 477 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management. | $66,588 | $86,275 | 303 |
| Homeland Security. | $62,340 | $77,122 | 280 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. | $51,381 | $60,134 | 260 |
| Political Science and Government. | $48,034 | $73,604 | 167 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $68,210 | $80,417 | 163 |
| International/Globalization Studies. | $64,133 | $86,599 | 158 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $58,299 | $88,359 | 146 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at American University
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend American University
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG)
Up to $10,000/year (publics) or $2,500/year (privates)
stateDC residents attending out-of-state public universities (covers OOS tuition difference) or eligible DC-area privates.
Deadline: June 30
Learn more ↗George Washington University Trustee Distinguished Scholarship
$20,000-$30,000/year
universityTop GW incoming freshmen via tiered automatic merit.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Georgetown Need-Met Aid
100% need met; loans capped
universityAll admitted Georgetown students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Howard University Capstone Scholarship
Full tuition + fees + room/board
universityTop Howard incoming freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Howard University Founder's Scholarship
Full tuition
universityTop Howard incoming freshmen via competitive process; named flagship at HBCU.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Howard Bison Scholarship
$5,000-$15,000/year
universityHoward incoming freshmen via tiered automatic merit; below Capstone tier.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Georgetown McDonough Provost Scholarship
Up to $25,000/year
universityTop Georgetown McDonough Business undergrads with academic merit.
Deadline: Through institution
Learn more ↗PFLAG DC Metro Scholarship
$1,000-$3,000
localLGBTQ+ HS seniors in DC/MD/VA region.
Deadline: April
Learn more ↗Howard University Founders Scholarship
Full tuition + fees + room/board
universityTop Howard incoming freshmen with academic merit + leadership.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average 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 calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for American University →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 62% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Early Decision I
75%
acceptance
Regular Decision
61.96%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Early Decision II
65%
acceptance
Regular Decision
52%
acceptance
Overall ~55%.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
13.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
12.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
2.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
22.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
16.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
87.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
82.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Important
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
Farmingdale State College
Farmingdale, NY
63.3% acceptance
Both admit around 63% of applicants, with 10k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, FL
63.4% acceptance
Both admit around 63% of applicants, with 14k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX
63.4% acceptance
Both admit around 63% of applicants, with 7k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide
Daytona Beach, FL
57.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (58% vs 62%) but out-of-state cost runs $12k — meaningfully less than $59k.
University of Memphis
Memphis, TN
72% acceptance
Similar selectivity (72% vs 62%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $59k.
University of North Georgia
Dahlonega, GA
67.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (68% vs 62%) but out-of-state cost runs $17k — meaningfully less than $59k.
Reaches above this college
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, LA
14% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but more selective (14% vs 62%) — a stretch target if American University is already on your list.
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
12.9% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but more selective (13% vs 62%) — a stretch target if American University is already on your list.
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA
11% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but more selective (11% vs 62%) — a stretch target if American University is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
University of Memphis
Memphis, TN
72% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but higher admit rate (72% vs 62%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of Houston
Houston, TX
73.9% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but higher admit rate (74% vs 62%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
ECPI University
Virginia Beach, VA
74.5% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but higher admit rate (75% vs 62%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Transfer pathways
Routes in from a community college.
Northern Virginia Community College
TAGAmerican University accepts transfers for fall and spring through rolling admissions. The university has articulation agreements with Montgomery College (Maryland) and Northern Virginia Community College, and honors the DC TAG program. Minimum 3.0 GPA typical; the School of Inter…
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