AU vs. OWU

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

AU OWU
Location Washington, DC Delaware, OH
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 13,885 1,410
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #356
Religious Affiliation United Methodist United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu owu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU OWU
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $49,262
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $49,262
Room & Board $15,706 $13,745
Avg Net Price $41,369 $27,311
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $36,757
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 100%

Admission

AU OWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 5,324
Admitted 7,926 2,778
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 52.2%
Enrolled % 22.2% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.54
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/32 23/30
SAT Range 1290/1430 1123/1358
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 OWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

AU OWU
Graduation Rate 77% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $49,600
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $279

Diversity

AU OWU
% Men 37% 44%
% Women 63% 56%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 70%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 12% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 7% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

AU OWU
% In-State 2% 66%
% Out-of-State 94% 27%

Campus

AU OWU
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 OWU based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 1,410 students)

AU vs. OWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or OWU?

  • American University is 7.7% more expensive to attend than OWU for in-state tuition ($53,070.00 vs. $49,262.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.7% higher at AU than Ohio Wesleyan University ($53,070.00 vs. $49,262.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ohio Wesleyan University than AU ($27,311 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ohio Wesleyan University are 14.3% lower than costs at American University ($13,745 vs. $15,706)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Wesleyan University than American University (100% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Wesleyan University students is 35.4% larger than aid received American University ($36,757 vs. $27,138)

AU vs. OWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at OWU (3.54)
  • OWU has a higher acceptance rate (52.2%) than AU (40.6%)

AU vs. OWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than Ohio Wesleyan University (77% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $15,200 more per year than OWU graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $49,600)
  • American University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than OWU graduates. ($24,250 vs. $27,000)
  • AU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than OWU graduates. ($250 vs. $279)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OWU students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 80%)

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