American University
#7 Highest-Paying Colleges for Criminal Justice- Graduation Rate
- 77% B+
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $77,370 A
- Top 5% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $41,943 F
- 145% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 62% B
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 12.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $12.5 over 20 years. Ranked #7 in Highest-Paying Colleges for Criminal Justice.
Every $1 spent returns $12.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,921,098.
What The Data Says
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A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduates earn 90% more than the national college median.
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A 77% graduation rate — 35% above the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $12.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.3%
- Top 66%
- Patents
- 18
- Linked to graduates
- World Rank
- #401-500
- Times Higher Education
- Patent Citations
- 33
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 17/100
- Times Higher Education
Why American University Matters
American University is a private research university in Washington, DC ranked #401-500 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong research base and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 5% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R2 · High Research
- Enrollment
- 7,266
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- 71
- Primary Strengths
- Social Sciences, Business & Marketing, Communications, Visual & Performing Arts
Why students choose American University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 62% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1280–1460. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $41,943 a year after grants and scholarships — 145% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $77,370 ten years after enrolling — 90% above the typical college, against $22,750 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 60% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.87 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Seventy-seven percent of students graduate from American University, a solid figure that speaks to student support and engagement. With an acceptance rate of 62%, the school attracts a diverse range of applicants. Enrollment sits at 7,266, creating a vibrant campus atmosphere in Washington, DC.
Graduates from American University earn an average of $77,370 within ten years of completing their degree. While mobility data is not available, the earnings potential suggests that students can expect a strong return on their investment. The school’s focus on fields like social sciences, business, and communications positions graduates well for careers in high-demand areas.
The net price for attending American University is $41,943, with a median debt of $22,750. This financial landscape means students need to plan carefully. Those who thrive here are often driven individuals interested in public service, communications, and creative fields. The relatively low Pell Grant rate of 14% indicates a student body that may be less reliant on federal aid, which can reflect broader socioeconomic factors among enrollees.
Rankings
- #7 Highest-Paying Colleges for Criminal Justice
- #7 Best Colleges for Building Social Capital
- #14 Best MBA Programs for Real Estate Finance
- #15 Best MBA Programs for International Business
- #17 Colleges Getting More Accessible Over Time
- #36 Colleges With the Best Loan Repayment Rates
- #36 Colleges With the Highest Mobility Rates
- #36 Best Success Rate for Low-Income Students
Can I Get In?
How selective American University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into American University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Washington, District of Columbia, American University offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 62% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,381. The graduation rate is roughly 77%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 62%
- Retention Rate
- 88%
- SAT Average
- 1381
- ACT Midpoint
- 31
- SAT Range
- 1280–1460
- ACT Range
- 29–32
- Full-Time Faculty
- 59%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $13,722
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 11:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.65
- First-Gen Students
- 16%
- Applicants
- 19,510
- Admitted
- 7,926
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend American University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at American University is $58,771, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $41,943. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $23,233 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $22,750 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $58,771
- Out-of-State
- $58,771
- Avg Net Price
- $41,943
- Median Debt
- $22,750
- Pell Grant Rate
- 14%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 38%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $23,233
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $20,444
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $26,035
- Family Income $110K+
- $53,673
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at American University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is American University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of American University earn a median of $77,370, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $61,328
- 8 Years
- $70,443
- 10 Years
- $77,370
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.29x
- Earning > $25K
- 79%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (1,320)
- 74%
- 100% (1,320)
- 74%
- 100% (1,320)
- 74%
- 100% (1,320)
- 74%
How American Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is American University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, American University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $41,943/year ($167,772 total). Graduates earn $77,370 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,088,870 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,921,098 (12.5× your investment). The median debt is $22,750, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 77% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $167,772
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,088,870
- Net Return
- $1,921,098
- ROI Multiple
- 12.5×
- Cost Per Year
- $41,943
- Median Debt
- $22,750
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 77%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does American University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
American University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.28%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 3.5% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 36.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $135,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.28%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 36.4%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 3.5%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $184,369
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
American University produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 18 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 17/100 research score.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.28%
- Top 66% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 18
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 33
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 17/100
- Times Higher Ed
- Academic Influence
- 41/100
- Citation impact (THE)
- Industry Engagement
- 36/100
- Knowledge transfer (THE)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-78,355,000
Top Programs
The fields American University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Social Sciences 34% $56,432 early-career
- Business & Marketing 11% $78,437 early-career
- Communications 8% $57,547 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 6% $51,747 early-career
- Criminal Justice 6% $53,677 early-career
- Psychology 4% $39,121 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 3% $36,562 early-career
- Health Professions 3% $46,778 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for American University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Optometrist$131,860 · 9% growthResilient 96
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into American University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Washington, District of Columbia, American University offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 62% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,381. The graduation rate is roughly 77%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend American University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at American University is $58,771, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $41,943. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $23,233 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $22,750 in federal student loans.
Is American University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of American University earn a median of $77,370, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does American University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
American University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.28%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 3.5% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 36.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $135,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is American University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at American University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.87, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 18% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
How Research-Intensive Is American University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places American University at #401-500 worldwide. Its profile spans a research score of 17/100, teaching at 42/100, and citation impact of 41/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to American University.
- Southern Methodist UniversityDallas, TX · Close peer84% grad $78,354 earn 63% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Sacred Heart UniversityFairfield, CT · Close peer74% grad $75,059 earn 65% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachDaytona Beach, FL · Close peer67% grad $84,131 earn 65% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Chapman UniversityOrange, CA · Close peer81% grad $70,070 earn 65% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Marist UniversityPoughkeepsie, NY · Close peer80% grad $77,819 earn 57% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Quinnipiac UniversityHamden, CT · Close peer77% grad $83,759 earn 72% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is American University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at American University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.87, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 18% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note