by our College Data Analytics TeamThis overview lays out the cost of attending American University, including attendance costs, projected four- and two-year degree costs, average net price, debt outcomes, and how aid is distributed across income levels.
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The full cost of attending American University stands at about $71,549.00 for a single academic year.
Below, the published cost is shown three ways — the full sticker price with no aid, the net price after the average grant package, and the net price for low-income students who typically receive the most aid.
| Tuition and fees | $58,771.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $12,778.00 |
| Total cost | $71,549.00 |
| That is 118% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $71,549.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$34,115.00 |
| Net price | $37,434.00 |
| That is 14% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $71,549.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$52,825.00 |
| Net price | $18,724.00 |
| That is 43% below the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see tuition and fees and living costs. |
The reported cost series has been increasing at a recent average of 4.6% annually, so the projections below total more than one year of attendance. Below, the cost is projected across a degree for three students at once — low-income with aid, average aid, and no aid. Loan totals assume a ten-year repayment at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| Freshman year | $19,588.00 | $39,161.00 | $74,850.00 |
| Senior year | $22,426.00 | $44,836.00 | $85,697.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $83,943.00 | $167,824.00 | $320,769.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $31,979.00 | $63,935.00 | $122,201.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $966.00 | $1,931.00 | $3,691.00 |
| Total amount paid | $115,923.00 | $231,759.00 | $442,970.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| Freshman year | $19,588.00 | $39,161.00 | $74,850.00 |
| Senior year | $20,492.00 | $40,968.00 | $78,304.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $40,080.00 | $80,130.00 | $153,155.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $15,269.00 | $30,526.00 | $58,346.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $461.00 | $922.00 | $1,763.00 |
| Total amount paid | $55,349.00 | $110,656.00 | $211,501.00 |
Read more in the Net Price section.
The net price is the real out-of-pocket cost — what families pay after grant and scholarship aid is applied. For most families it is a more realistic figure than the published cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $41,943.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $41,945.00 |
Net price is far from uniform: lower-income families typically pay much less after aid. Here is the average net price for each family-income range:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $21,176.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $18,630.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $23,477.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $34,587.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $53,257.00 |
Use American University Net Price Calculator, or contact the financial aid office.
Want to know how that aid is awarded? See the financial aid breakdown.
The median amount borrowed by graduates of American University works out to $19,500.00, landing it in the Low ($10-20k) burden tier.
The percentile spread of debt at graduation is shown below:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $5,500.00 |
| 25th | $10,750.00 |
| Median (50th) | $19,500.00 |
| 75th | $27,000.00 |
| 90th | $33,000.00 |
The distance from the 10th to the 90th percentile shows how widely debt outcomes vary.
Explore borrowing, repayment, and default in detail on the student-loan-debt breakdown.
Debt at graduation is far from uniform across income levels. The figures below split graduating borrowers into three income brackets:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $18,500.00 |
| Middle income | $19,500.00 |
| High income | $19,750.00 |
First-generation college students often carry different debt loads than their continuing-generation peers.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $19,500.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $19,500.00 |
The Department of Education default-rate tier for American University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 2.8% |
To put the rates in context, Stafford loans at American University total $1,340,434,998.00 across 40,095 recipients.
Veterans and current servicemembers may be eligible for major federal education benefits such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill and DoD Tuition Assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 336 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $28,069.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 28 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $1,455.00 |
Dig into veteran education benefits on the college veterans page.
Use the figures above as a launch point, then think through American University, think through the questions below:
Each page below covers one part of paying for college in more detail:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.