AU vs. Davidson

Deciding between American University and Davidson College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

American University
Davidson College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • AU Washington, DC
  • Davidson Davidson, NC
  • Setting
  • AU Large City
  • Davidson Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • AU 12,321
  • Davidson 1,869
  • Type
  • AU Private 4 Year
  • Davidson Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • AU #94
  • Davidson #32
  • Religious Affiliation
  • AU United Methodist
  • Davidson Presbyterian Church (USA)
  • Status
  • AU Non-profit
  • Davidson Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • AU
  • Davidson

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • AU $58,771
  • Davidson $64,410
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • AU $58,771
  • Davidson $64,410
  • Room & Board
  • AU $17,982
  • Davidson $17,100
  • Average Net Price
  • AU $39,676
  • Davidson $27,720
  • Average Grant Aid
  • AU $36,349
  • Davidson $51,755
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • AU 67%
  • Davidson 65%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • AU 17,173
  • Davidson 8,114
  • Admitted
  • AU 10,640
  • Davidson 1,085
  • Acceptance Rate
  • AU 62%
  • Davidson 13.4%
  • Enrolled
  • AU 15.6%
  • Davidson 47.9%
  • Typical SAT score
  • AU 1370
  • Davidson 1470
  • Typical ACT score
  • AU 30
  • Davidson 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • AU 3.7
  • Davidson 3.81
  • Typical High School Grades
  • AU A-
  • Davidson A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • AU Very High
  • Davidson Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • AU Low
  • Davidson Very High
  • ACT Range
  • AU 29/32
  • Davidson 31/34
  • SAT Range
  • AU 1280/1460
  • Davidson 1400/1530
  • Submit Test Scores
  • AU Test optional
  • Davidson Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • AU Jan 15, 2027
  • Davidson Jan 7, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • AU 10:1
  • Davidson 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • AU
    • Social Sciences (43%)
    • Business (14%)
    • Communication (8%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
    • Psychology (3%)
  • Davidson
    • Social Sciences (28%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (11%)
    • English and Literature (11%)

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

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

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • AU 3%
  • Davidson 19%
  • % Out-of-State
  • AU 94%
  • Davidson 68%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • AU Yes
  • Davidson Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • AU No
  • Davidson No
  • Meal Plan
  • AU Yes
  • Davidson Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • AU Yes
  • Davidson No
  • Daycare Facility
  • AU Yes
  • Davidson No

Comparable Facts

Compare American University in Washington, DC with Davidson College in Davidson, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American University is larger than Davidson based on total student enrollment (12,321 students vs. 1,869 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • American University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); Davidson College is in Davidson, NC (Large Suburban setting).
  • American University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Davidson College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: American University 10:1; Davidson College 8:1.

AU vs. Davidson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Davidson? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Davidson College than AU ($27,720 vs. $39,676).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Davidson College are 4.9% lower than at American University ($17,100 vs. $17,982).
  • Davidson College is 9.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than AU (about $5,639 more per year; $64,410.00 vs. $58,771.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 9.6% higher at Davidson than at American University (about $5,639 more per year; $64,410.00 vs. $58,771.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at American University than at Davidson College (67% vs. 65%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 42.4% larger than aid received by American University students ($51,755 vs. $36,349).

AU vs. Davidson Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AU or Davidson? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Davidson and AU.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Davidson College (1470) is 100 points higher than at AU (1370).
  • Incoming Davidson students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 30 at AU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: American University 1280/1460; Davidson College 1400/1530.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: American University 29/32; Davidson College 31/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: AU - Test optional; Davidson - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: AU Jan 15, 2027; Davidson Jan 7, 2027.
  • 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 (62%) than Davidson (13.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.6% at AU vs. 47.9% at Davidson.

AU vs. Davidson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for AU and Davidson? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Davidson College's six-year graduation rate (92%) is higher than American University's (77%).
  • Graduates from American University earn a median of about $1,300 more per year than Davidson graduates about ten years after starting college ($64,800 vs. $63,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Davidson College graduates have a $7,250 lower median loan debt than AU graduates ($17,000 vs. $24,250).
  • Among borrowers, Davidson graduates have an estimated $75 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.