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American University
Washington, DC 7,593 Undergrads 78.7% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$71,549
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$41,945
After Aid
Median Earnings
$77,370
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$41,945
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$77,370
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate78.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients13.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.4%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
47.4%
SAT Avg
1,392
SAT Reading
25th: 67069575th: 740
SAT Math
25th: 63066575th: 710
ACT Composite
25th: 293175th: 33
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$647k
+$251k
+$163k
Median Cost$42k/yr
+$496k
+$100k
+$12k
Full Cost$72k/yr
+$390k
-$7k
-$95k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$42k/yr
58
8%
Full Cost$72k/yr
Never
-37%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return22%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-58%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Certificates
Political Science and Government
CertCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$73,852
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$104,304
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$371k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,023
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1002
Median Debt
$19,085
Earnings (5yr)
$65,827
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,701
Earnings (5yr)
$54,479
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$88,921
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,611
Earnings (5yr)
$75,154
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,635
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$61,582
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$24,989
Earnings (5yr)
$46,621
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,191
Earnings (5yr)
$77,219
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,897
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,028
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$22,625
Earnings (5yr)
$103,137
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,363
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$71,028
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$24,976
Earnings (5yr)
$55,636
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Literature
BachCIP: 2314
Median Debt
$26,105
Earnings (5yr)
$51,266
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$346k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$26,125
Earnings (5yr)
$78,483
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate)
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
$24,375
Earnings (5yr)
$101,273
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$78,954
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$67,737
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$26,442
Earnings (5yr)
$94,957
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,954
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,315
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$101,772
Lifetime Value Added
+$378k
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,058
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$59,904
Earnings (5yr)
$56,279
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$89,433
Earnings (5yr)
$131,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$631k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (5yr)
$104,844
Lifetime Value Added
+$404k
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
MastCIP: 0999
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$275k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,639
Lifetime Value Added
+$230k
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$46,108
Earnings (5yr)
$116,157
Lifetime Value Added
+$501k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
MastCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$66,504
Earnings (5yr)
$66,919
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Fine and Studio Arts
MastCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (5yr)
$37,864
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,104
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
International and Comparative Education
MastCIP: 1307
Median Debt
$39,375
Earnings (5yr)
$76,913
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$101,443
Lifetime Value Added
+$375k
Journalism
MastCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$55,989
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies
MastCIP: 2202
Median Debt
$65,926
Earnings (5yr)
$98,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$353k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
MastCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$82,829
Lifetime Value Added
+$215k
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
MastCIP: 3005
Median Debt
$62,122
Earnings (5yr)
$92,285
Lifetime Value Added
+$296k
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$42,373
Earnings (2yr)
$50,606
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Political Science and Government
MastCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$239k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$55,000
Earnings (5yr)
$113,922
Lifetime Value Added
+$482k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Public Policy Analysis
MastCIP: 4405
Median Debt
$54,986
Earnings (5yr)
$107,080
Lifetime Value Added
+$423k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
MastCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$53,268
Earnings (5yr)
$87,743
Lifetime Value Added
+$257k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,741
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,995
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$75,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$122,587
Lifetime Value Added
+$556k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (5yr)
$66,942
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$161,696
Earnings (5yr)
$112,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$233k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.