American University

Washington, District of Columbia · Private, nonprofit

Of 61 assessed programs, 57 leave graduates out-earning a typical District of Columbia high-school graduate (about $40,140/yr) and 4 fall short. Another 102 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$23,233
$30k to $48k	$20,444
$48k to $75k	$26,035
$75k to $110k	$30,063
$110k and up	$53,673
All families (average)	$41,943

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

61 of 163 programs could be assessed 37% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical District of Columbia high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
International Relations	Bachelor's Degree	$73,865	+$33,725	clears the bar	$23,250	0.7 yrs	382
International Relations	Master's Degree	$97,808	+$57,668	clears the bar	$61,500	1.1 yrs	349
Law	First Professional Degree	$109,523	+$69,383	clears the bar	$161,696	2.3 yrs	320
Business Administration	Bachelor's Degree	$88,359	+$48,219	clears the bar	$24,500	0.5 yrs	247
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$73,604	+$33,464	clears the bar	$23,250	0.7 yrs	192
Public Administration	Master's Degree	$107,866	+$67,726	clears the bar	$55,000	0.8 yrs	155
Public Relations and Advertising	Bachelor's Degree	$78,410	+$38,270	clears the bar	$26,442	0.7 yrs	132
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	Master's Degree	$96,768	+$56,628	clears the bar	$65,926	1.2 yrs	128
Educational Administration	Master's Degree	$93,310	+$53,170	clears the bar	$43,885	0.8 yrs	117
Interdisciplinary Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$76,552	+$36,412	clears the bar	$23,000	0.6 yrs	110
Management Science	Master's Degree	$127,356	+$87,216	clears the bar	$51,250	0.6 yrs	93
Criminal Justice	Bachelor's Degree	$66,970	+$26,830	clears the bar	$23,250	0.9 yrs	86
Business Administration	Master's Degree	$127,269	+$87,129	clears the bar	$89,433	1.0 yrs	83
Public Health	Bachelor's Degree	$70,831	+$30,691	clears the bar	$23,250	0.8 yrs	76
Finance	Bachelor's Degree	$134,332	+$94,192	clears the bar	$22,625	0.2 yrs	75
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$85,016	+$44,876	clears the bar	$22,191	0.5 yrs	71
Communications and Media	Master's Degree	$94,424	+$54,284	clears the bar	$51,250	0.9 yrs	65
Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$62,240	+$22,100	clears the bar	$23,500	1.1 yrs	64
Homeland Security	Master's Degree	$96,954	+$56,814	clears the bar	$41,000	0.7 yrs	64
Public Policy Analysis	Master's Degree	$98,588	+$58,448	clears the bar	$54,986	0.9 yrs	63
Journalism	Bachelor's Degree	$66,635	+$26,495	clears the bar	$24,976	0.9 yrs	59
Film and Photography	Bachelor's Degree	$52,661	+$12,521	clears the bar	$22,000	1.8 yrs	53
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Master's Degree	$58,019 1-year earnings	+$17,879	clears the bar	$49,264	2.8 yrs	51
Economics	Master's Degree	$103,169	+$63,029	clears the bar	$46,108	0.7 yrs	49
Film and Photography	Master's Degree	$76,808	+$36,668	clears the bar	$66,504	1.8 yrs	44
Interdisciplinary Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$66,603	+$26,463	clears the bar	$22,673	0.9 yrs	43
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services	Master's Degree	$74,598	+$34,458	clears the bar	$51,250	1.5 yrs	42
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$69,517	+$29,377	clears the bar	$24,250	0.8 yrs	40
Natural Resources and Conservation	Master's Degree	$104,878	+$64,738	clears the bar	$26,500	0.4 yrs	35
Public Relations and Advertising	Master's Degree	$97,932	+$57,792	clears the bar	$53,268	0.9 yrs	34
Natural Resources and Conservation	Bachelor's Degree	$63,711	+$23,571	clears the bar	$26,125	1.1 yrs	33
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution	Master's Degree	$89,800	+$49,660	clears the bar	$62,122	1.3 yrs	32
Political Science	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$81,004	+$40,864	clears the bar	$23,250	0.6 yrs	31
Non-Professional Legal Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$72,792	+$32,652	clears the bar	$24,375	0.7 yrs	30
Accounting	Master's Degree	$112,384	+$72,244	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	30
History	Master's Degree	$68,296	+$28,156	clears the bar	$41,000	1.5 yrs	30
Teacher Education (by level)	Master's Degree	$67,617	+$27,477	clears the bar	$51,250	1.9 yrs	29
Communications and Media	Bachelor's Degree	$67,863	+$27,723	clears the bar	$22,611	0.8 yrs	27
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$33,917 1-year earnings	-$6,223	falls short	$19,701	insufficient data	27
Philosophy	Master's Degree	$82,273	+$42,133	clears the bar	$42,373	1.0 yrs	26
History	Bachelor's Degree	$59,630	+$19,490	clears the bar	$26,000	1.3 yrs	25
Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	$117,293	+$77,153	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Sociology	Bachelor's Degree	$40,119 1-year earnings	-$21	falls short	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Theatre	Bachelor's Degree	$23,979 1-year earnings	-$16,161	falls short	$24,989	insufficient data	20
Psychology	Master's Degree	$73,628	+$33,488	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Political Science	Master's Degree	$98,567	+$58,427	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Fine Arts	Master's Degree	$55,550	+$15,410	clears the bar	$51,250	3.3 yrs	19
Accounting	Bachelor's Degree	$119,020	+$78,880	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians	Master's Degree	$74,573	+$34,433	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Literature	Bachelor's Degree	$54,436	+$14,296	clears the bar	$26,105	1.8 yrs	17
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management	Master's Degree	$65,062	+$24,922	clears the bar	$59,904	2.4 yrs	17
Area Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$43,671 1-year earnings	+$3,531	clears the bar	$25,000	7.1 yrs	16
Journalism	Master's Degree	$67,819	+$27,679	clears the bar	$55,989	2.0 yrs	16
Criminal Justice	Master's Degree	$89,015	+$48,875	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Public Health	Master's Degree	$83,880	+$43,740	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Teacher Education (by level)	Bachelor's Degree	$66,160	+$26,020	clears the bar	$27,000	1.0 yrs	14
Anthropology	Bachelor's Degree	$53,036	+$12,896	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	$75,461	+$35,321	clears the bar	$19,085	0.5 yrs	10
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$63,553	+$23,413	clears the bar	$25,000	1.1 yrs	9
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	$35,115 1-year earnings	-$5,025	falls short	$23,250	insufficient data	8
International and Comparative Education	Master's Degree	$79,464	+$39,324	clears the bar	$39,375	1.0 yrs	6
Information Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	51
Human Resources	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	34
Management Science	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	27
Finance	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	26
Marketing	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	20
Design	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Healthcare Administration	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Neuroscience	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
International Relations	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Statistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Economics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Educational Administration	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
International Business	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Philosophy	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Special Education	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Anthropology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Mathematics and Statistics, Other	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Business Administration	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Accounting	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Public Administration	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Music	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Taxation	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Statistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
International/Globalization Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Economics	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
History	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Computer Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Neuroscience	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Counseling Psychology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Anthropology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Sociology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Biotechnology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Religion/Religious Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Security Science and Technology	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
International and Comparative Education	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Neuroscience	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Applied Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
International Relations	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Political Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Design	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Taxation	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
IT Administration and Management	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Literature	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Statistics	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Criminal Justice	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Anthropology	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Dance	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Human Resources	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Real Estate	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Real Estate	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Area Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Communications and Media	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Data Analytics	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Chemistry	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Public Administration	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Public Policy Analysis	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Anthropology	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Political Science	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
International Business	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Educational Administration	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Legal Professions and Studies, Other	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Applied Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($40,140/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.