AU vs. Hunter

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

 AU Hunter
Location Washington, DC New York, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 13,019 22,879
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #84 #283
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 AU Hunter
Tuition (In State) $55,724 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $55,724 $14,880
Room & Board $17,012 $11,324
Avg Net Price $40,189 $4,127
Avg Grant Aid $31,402 $9,624
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 88%

Admission

 AU Hunter
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,786 31,614
Admitted 8,427 17,087
Acceptance Rate 47.4% 54%
Enrolled % 22% 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/33
SAT Range 1300/1450 1210/1470
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

Academics

 AU Hunter
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

 AU Hunter
Graduation Rate 77% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $48,800
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $11,548
Median Loan Payment $250 $119

Diversity

 AU Hunter
% Men 15% 6%
% Women 25% 18%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 27%
% Black 7% 10%
% Hispanic 12% 29%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 7% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

 AU Hunter
% In-State 2% 85%
% Out-of-State 94% 0%

Campus

 AU Hunter
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 Hunter College is larger than than AU based on total student enrollment (22,879 students vs. 13,019 students)

AU vs. Hunter Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Hunter?

  • American University is 704.1% more expensive to attend than Hunter for in-state tuition ($55,724.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 274.5% higher at AU than CUNY Hunter College ($55,724.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY Hunter College than AU ($4,127 vs. $40,189)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY Hunter College are 50.2% lower than costs at American University ($11,324 vs. $17,012)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY Hunter College than American University (88% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 226.3% larger than aid received CUNY Hunter College ($31,402 vs. $9,624)

AU vs. Hunter Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 87 points higher than at Hunter (1165)
  • Accepted freshman AU students have at the same average high school GPA (3.7) as students at Hunter (3.7)
  • Hunter has a higher acceptance rate (54%) than AU (47.4%)

AU vs. Hunter Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or Hunter? 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 Hunter and AU.

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than CUNY Hunter College (77% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $16,000 more per year than Hunter graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $48,800)
  • CUNY Hunter College students graduate with a $12,702 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($11,548 vs. $24,250)
  • Hunter graduates are paying $131 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($119 vs. $250)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hunter students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 56%)

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