AU vs. Amherst

Should I go to American University or Amherst College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or Amherst is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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American University vs. Amherst College comparison
American University Amherst College College 3 College 4
American University Amherst College
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Overview

AU Amherst
Location Washington, DC Amherst, MA
Setting Large City Town Fringe
Enrollment 13,885 1,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #16
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu amherst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Amherst
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $63,500
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $63,500
Room & Board $15,706 $16,750
Avg Net Price $41,369 $21,367
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $58,693
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 58%

Admission

AU Amherst
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 14,864
Admitted 7,926 1,079
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 7.3%
Enrolled % 22.2% 43.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 29/32 32/35
SAT Range 1290/1430 1420/1550
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

AU Amherst
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

AU Amherst
Graduation Rate 77% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $82,000
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $12,975
Median Loan Payment $250 $134

Diversity

AU Amherst
% Men 37% 48%
% Women 63% 52%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 42%
% Black 7% 12%
% Hispanic 12% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

AU Amherst
% In-State 2% 13%
% Out-of-State 94% 74%

Campus

AU Amherst
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • American University is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 1,898 students)

AU vs. Amherst Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Amherst?

  • Amherst College is 19.7% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.7% higher at Amherst than American University ($63,500.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than AU ($21,367 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 6.6% lower than costs at Amherst College ($15,706 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at American University than Amherst College (66% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 116.3% larger than aid received American University ($58,693 vs. $27,138)

AU vs. Amherst Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AU or Amherst? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Amherst or AU .

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 199 points higher than at AU (1252)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at AU (28)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at AU (3.7)
  • AU has a higher acceptance rate (40.6%) than Amherst (7.3%)

AU vs. Amherst Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or Amherst? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Amherst and AU.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than American University (96% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $17,200 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $64,800)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $11,275 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($12,975 vs. $24,250)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $116 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($134 vs. $250)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/