AU vs. IIT

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

 AU IIT
Location Washington, DC Chicago, IL
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 13,885 6,943
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #186
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu iit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 AU IIT
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $48,670
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $48,670
Room & Board $15,706 $15,570
Avg Net Price $41,369 $28,702
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $40,243
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 99%

Admission

 AU IIT
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 7,243
Admitted 7,926 4,450
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 61.4%
Enrolled % 22.2% 13.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.84
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/32 28/32
SAT Range 1290/1430 1220/1410
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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 AU IIT
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Engineering (50%)
  • Architecture (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (8%)
  • Business (7%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 AU IIT
Graduation Rate 77% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $79,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $279

Diversity

 AU IIT
% Men 37% 63%
% Women 63% 37%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 33%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 7% 26%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

 AU IIT
% In-State 2% 60%
% Out-of-State 94% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • American University is larger than than IIT based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 6,943 students)

AU vs. IIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or IIT?

  • American University is 9% more expensive to attend than IIT for in-state tuition ($53,070.00 vs. $48,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9% higher at AU than Illinois Institute of Technology ($53,070.00 vs. $48,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois Institute of Technology than AU ($28,702 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Institute of Technology are 0.9% lower than costs at American University ($15,570 vs. $15,706)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Institute of Technology than American University (99% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Institute of Technology students is 48.3% larger than aid received American University ($40,243 vs. $27,138)

AU vs. IIT Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 1 points higher than at IIT (1251)
  • Incoming AU students have at the same average ACT score (28) as students at IIT (28)
  • Accepted freshman IIT students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at AU (3.7)
  • IIT has a higher acceptance rate (61.4%) than AU (40.6%)

AU vs. IIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than Illinois Institute of Technology (77% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Institute of Technology earn on average $14,500 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($79,300 vs. $64,800)
  • American University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than IIT graduates. ($24,250 vs. $27,000)
  • AU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than IIT graduates. ($250 vs. $279)
  • More IIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 80%)

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