AU vs. Lafayette College

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

AU Lafayette College
Location Washington, DC Easton, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,885 2,729
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #65
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $58,110
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $58,110
Room & Board $15,706 $17,336
Avg Net Price $41,369 $37,186
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $24,981
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 98%

Admission

AU Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 10,500
Admitted 7,926 3,531
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 33.6%
Enrolled % 22.2% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 29/32 30/33
SAT Range 1290/1430 1330/1480
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 15, 2025

Academics

AU Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

AU Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 77% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $268

Diversity

AU Lafayette College
% Men 37% 50%
% Women 63% 50%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 67%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 7% 9%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

AU Lafayette College
% In-State 2% 16%
% Out-of-State 94% 76%

Campus

AU Lafayette College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 2,729 students)

AU vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Lafayette College?

  • Lafayette College is 9.5% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($58,110.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.5% higher at Lafayette College than American University ($58,110.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lafayette College than AU ($37,186 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 10.4% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($15,706 vs. $17,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than American University (98% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 8.6% larger than aid received Lafayette College ($27,138 vs. $24,981)

AU vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lafayette College (1294) is 42 points higher than at AU (1252)
  • Incoming Lafayette College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at AU (28)
  • Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • AU has a higher acceptance rate (40.6%) than Lafayette College (33.6%)

AU vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or Lafayette College? 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 Lafayette College and AU.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than American University (88% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $16,200 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $64,800)
  • American University students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($24,250 vs. $26,000)
  • AU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($250 vs. $268)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 80%)

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