AU vs. Davidson

Should I go to American University or Davidson College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or Davidson 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

George Washington Washington and Lee University of Richmond Georgetown UNC Chapel Hill Fordham Duke Elon William & Mary Furman Syracuse Emory
American University vs. Davidson College comparison
American University Davidson College College 3 College 4
American University Davidson College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

AU Davidson
Location Washington, DC Davidson, NC
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,885 1,927
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #37
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu davidson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Davidson
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $56,550
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $56,550
Room & Board $15,706 $15,750
Avg Net Price $41,369 $26,704
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $46,496
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 65%

Admission

AU Davidson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 6,479
Admitted 7,926 1,098
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 16.9%
Enrolled % 22.2% 49.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 29/32 31/33
SAT Range 1290/1430 1350/1500
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 7, 2025

Academics

AU Davidson
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)

Outcomes

AU Davidson
Graduation Rate 77% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $63,500
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $17,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $175

Diversity

AU Davidson
% Men 37% 47%
% Women 63% 53%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 68%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 12% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 7% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

AU Davidson
% In-State 2% 17%
% Out-of-State 94% 71%

Campus

AU Davidson
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 Davidson based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 1,927 students)

AU vs. Davidson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Davidson?

  • Davidson College is 6.6% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($56,550.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.6% higher at Davidson than American University ($56,550.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Davidson College than AU ($26,704 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 0.3% lower than costs at Davidson College ($15,706 vs. $15,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at American University than Davidson College (66% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 71.3% larger than aid received American University ($46,496 vs. $27,138)

AU vs. Davidson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Davidson College (1355) is 103 points higher than at AU (1252)
  • Incoming Davidson students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at AU (28)
  • Accepted freshman Davidson students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at AU (3.7)
  • AU has a higher acceptance rate (40.6%) than Davidson (16.9%)

AU vs. Davidson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Davidson is higher than American University (92% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $1,300 more per year than Davidson graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $63,500)
  • Davidson College students graduate with a $7,250 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($17,000 vs. $24,250)
  • Davidson graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($175 vs. $250)
  • More Davidson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 80%)

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