Private nonprofit · Washington, District of Columbia
American University: cost, debt and earnings by major
66 programs with reported graduate earnings. Click one for net cost, payback and 10-year return.
- Average net price, all families
- $41,302
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Odds of finishing
- 75%
- Within 150% of normal time · Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Admission rate
- 62%
- Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Undergraduates
- 7,266
- Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Median debt of graduates
- $22,250
- NSLDS FY2024, FY2025 pooled cohorts
- Borrowers in default after 2 years
- 2.0%
- NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-2019, 2019-2020
Net price by family income
| $0–30,000 | $28,397 |
|---|---|
| $30,001–48,000 | $19,487 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $27,150 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $31,984 |
| $110,000+ | $53,571 |
What families paid per year after grants, AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26.
Undergraduate certificate programs (3)
Bachelor's programs (26)
- Finance and Financial Management Services$134,332
- Accounting and Related Services$119,020
- Computer Science$117,293
- Business Administration, Management and Operations$88,359
- Economics$85,016
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication$78,410
- Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$76,552
- Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians$75,461
- International Relations and National Security Studies$73,865
- Political Science and Government$73,604
- Non-Professional Legal Studies$72,792
- Public Health$70,831
- Communication and Media Studies$67,863
- Criminal Justice and Corrections$66,970
- Journalism$66,635
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$66,160
- Natural Resources Conservation and Research$63,711
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies$63,553
- Psychology, General$62,240
- History$59,630
- Literature$54,436
- Anthropology$53,036
- Film/Video and Photographic Arts$52,661
- Sociology$39,978 (1 yr)
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$36,862 (1 yr)
- Area Studies$31,796 (1 yr)
Master's programs (35)
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods$127,356
- Business Administration, Management and Operations$127,269
- Information Science/Studies$118,124 (1 yr)
- Accounting and Related Services$112,384
- Public Administration$107,866
- Natural Resources Conservation and Research$104,878
- Economics$103,169
- Public Policy Analysis$98,588
- Political Science and Government$98,567
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication$97,932
- International Relations and National Security Studies$97,808
- Homeland Security$96,954
- Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies$96,768
- Communication and Media Studies$94,424
- Educational Administration and Supervision$93,310
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution$89,800
- Criminal Justice and Corrections$89,015
- Health and Medical Administrative Services$88,939 (1 yr)
- Human Resources Management and Services$83,895 (1 yr)
- Public Health$83,880
- Philosophy$82,273
- International and Comparative Education$79,464
- Film/Video and Photographic Arts$76,808
- Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services$74,598
- Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians$74,573
- Psychology, General$73,628
- International Business$68,420 (1 yr)
- History$68,296
- Journalism$67,819
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$67,617
- Marketing$65,449 (1 yr)
- Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management$65,062
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness$62,685 (1 yr)
- Fine and Studio Arts$55,550
- Anthropology$49,375 (1 yr)
First professional programs (1)
- Law$109,523
Graduate certificate programs (1)
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods$124,976 (1 yr)