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American University

Washington, DC american.edu 7,593 students

American University's main campus occupies 90 acres in the Spring Valley and Tenleytown neighborhoods of Northwest D.C. Students are drawn to its focus on public service and internationalism. Its location in the nation's capital provides access to internships and resources related to government and policy. The university also maintains a strong relationship with the United Methodist Church.

Programs
24
Analyzed in dataset
Earnings
$42,346
Average graduate, 1 yr after
Tuition
$56,543
Sticker price (est.)

Financial Aid

The sticker price is rarely what families actually pay. American University's grant and scholarship aid lowers the net price for most income brackets. 13% of students receive Pell Grants; 35% take federal loans.

Key Insight

Average net price across income brackets is $30,225, roughly 47% lower than the published tuition.

Net Price by Family Income

Academic Year 2025
Income Bracket Avg Net Price 4-Year Net Cost
$0 – $30K $21,176 $84,704
$30K – $48K $18,630 $74,520
$48K – $75K $23,477 $93,908
$75K – $110K $34,587 $138,348
$110K+ $53,257 $213,028
Sticker price (no aid) $56,543 $226,172
Net price = tuition + fees + room & board minus grants and scholarships, by reported family-income bracket. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey via College Scorecard.

Programs at American University

24 degree programs ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any program for AI scenario analysis and 10-year earnings projections.

Degree Program DW Score 1-yr Earnings AI Risk ROI
Finance Compare across schools →
75
$83,505/yr Very High 3.6x
Business Administration Compare across schools →
65
$58,299/yr High 2.9x
Economics Compare across schools →
60
$58,151/yr Very High 2.4x
Public Relations & Advertising Compare across schools →
59
$50,026/yr High 3.2x
Teacher Education Compare across schools →
58
$55,625/yr High 1.9x
Political Science Compare across schools →
52
$48,034/yr Very High 2.5x
Legal Studies Compare across schools →
48
$45,790/yr Moderate 3.5x
International Relations Compare across schools →
44
$47,551/yr High 2.1x
Public Health Compare across schools →
44
$42,194/yr High 2.0x
Natural Resources & Conservation Research Compare across schools →
42
$46,780/yr High 2.5x
Criminal Justice Compare across schools →
42
$37,147/yr Moderate 1.7x
History Compare across schools →
39
$43,809/yr High 1.4x
Communication and Media Studies Compare across schools →
37
$36,980/yr High 2.3x
Sociology Compare across schools →
36
$40,119/yr High 1.8x
Ethnic & Cultural Studies Compare across schools →
33
$46,206/yr Very High 2.0x
Area Studies Compare across schools →
32
$43,671/yr Very High 2.0x
Fine Arts Compare across schools →
32
$35,115/yr Moderate 0.6x
Journalism Compare across schools →
31
$44,387/yr Very High 1.5x
Biology Compare across schools →
26
$33,917/yr High 1.4x
Psychology Compare across schools →
24
$25,773/yr High 1.8x
Film & Photography Compare across schools →
23
$26,767/yr High 2.1x
Theater & Drama Compare across schools →
17
$23,979/yr Moderate 1.1x
Audio & Video Technology Compare across schools →
16
$19,337/yr High 1.9x
Literature Compare across schools →
12
$23,164/yr Very High 1.3x