AU vs. City College of New York

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

AU City College of New York
Location Washington, DC New York, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 13,019 15,012
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #84 #276
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $55,724 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $55,724 $14,880
Room & Board $17,012 $18,104
Avg Net Price $40,189 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $31,402 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 86%

Admission

AU City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,786 31,988
Admitted 8,427 18,576
Acceptance Rate 47.4% 58.1%
Enrolled % 22% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/33
SAT Range 1300/1450 1220/1460
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 City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

AU City College of New York
Graduation Rate 77% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $250 $117

Diversity

AU City College of New York
% Men 15% 7%
% Women 25% 11%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 15%
% Black 7% 16%
% Hispanic 12% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 7% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

AU City College of New York
% In-State 2% 87%
% Out-of-State 94% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY City College is larger than than AU based on total student enrollment (15,012 students vs. 13,019 students)

AU vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or City College of New York?

  • American University is 704.1% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($55,724.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 274.5% higher at AU than CUNY City College ($55,724.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than AU ($4,599 vs. $40,189)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 6.4% lower than costs at CUNY City College ($17,012 vs. $18,104)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than American University (86% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 240% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($31,402 vs. $9,236)

AU vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 127 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than AU (47.4%)

AU vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and AU.

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than CUNY City College (77% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $15,000 more per year than City College of New York graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $49,800)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $12,850 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($11,400 vs. $24,250)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $133 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($117 vs. $250)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 52%)

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