AU vs. Brooklyn College

Should I go to American University or CUNY Brooklyn College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or Brooklyn College 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. CUNY Brooklyn College comparison
American University CUNY Brooklyn College College 3 College 4
American University CUNY Brooklyn College
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Overview

AU Brooklyn College
Location Washington, DC Brooklyn, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 13,019 13,935
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #84 #264
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Brooklyn College
Tuition (In State) $55,724 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $55,724 $14,880
Room & Board $17,012 $21,788
Avg Net Price $40,189 $4,105
Avg Grant Aid $31,402 $9,290
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 88%

Admission

AU Brooklyn College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,786 27,112
Admitted 8,427 14,548
Acceptance Rate 47.4% 53.7%
Enrolled % 22% 10.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/33
SAT Range 1300/1450 1140/1420
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, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

AU Brooklyn College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

AU Brooklyn College
Graduation Rate 77% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $10,382
Median Loan Payment $250 $107

Diversity

AU Brooklyn College
% Men 15% 6%
% Women 25% 13%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 33%
% Black 7% 22%
% Hispanic 12% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 7% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

AU Brooklyn College
% In-State 2% 91%
% Out-of-State 94% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY Brooklyn College is larger than than AU based on total student enrollment (13,935 students vs. 13,019 students)

AU vs. Brooklyn College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Brooklyn College?

  • American University is 704.1% more expensive to attend than Brooklyn College for in-state tuition ($55,724.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 274.5% higher at AU than CUNY Brooklyn College ($55,724.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY Brooklyn College than AU ($4,105 vs. $40,189)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 28.1% lower than costs at CUNY Brooklyn College ($17,012 vs. $21,788)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY Brooklyn College than American University (88% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 238% larger than aid received CUNY Brooklyn College ($31,402 vs. $9,290)

AU vs. Brooklyn College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 137 points higher than at Brooklyn College (1115)
  • Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Brooklyn College (3.42)
  • Brooklyn College has a higher acceptance rate (53.7%) than AU (47.4%)

AU vs. Brooklyn College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or Brooklyn College? 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 Brooklyn College and AU.

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than CUNY Brooklyn College (77% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $16,900 more per year than Brooklyn College graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $47,900)
  • CUNY Brooklyn College students graduate with a $13,868 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($10,382 vs. $24,250)
  • Brooklyn College graduates are paying $143 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($107 vs. $250)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Brooklyn College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 54%)

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