AU vs. Penn State Brandywine

Should I go to American University or Penn State Brandywine? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or Penn State Brandywine 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 Georgetown Fordham Syracuse Penn State Abington Mason Lafayette College DU Drexel WCU William & Mary Elon
American University vs. Penn State Brandywine comparison
American University Penn State Brandywine College 3 College 4
American University Penn State Brandywine
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

AU Penn State Brandywine
Location Washington, DC Media, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,019 1,223
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #84 #766
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Penn State Brandywine
Tuition (In State) $55,724 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $55,724 $24,562
Room & Board $17,012 $13,820
Avg Net Price $40,189 $21,739
Avg Grant Aid $31,402 $9,380
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 69%

Admission

AU Penn State Brandywine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,786 2,461
Admitted 8,427 2,346
Acceptance Rate 47.4% 95.3%
Enrolled % 22% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/33 18/29
SAT Range 1300/1450 1110/1340
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

Academics

AU Penn State Brandywine
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Work and Family Studies (28%)
  • Communication (23%)
  • Ethnic Studies (6%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

AU Penn State Brandywine
Graduation Rate 77% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $250 $277

Diversity

AU Penn State Brandywine
% Men 15% 0%
% Women 25% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 63%
% Black 7% 15%
% Hispanic 12% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

AU Penn State Brandywine
% In-State 2% 74%
% Out-of-State 94% 24%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • American University is larger than than Penn State Brandywine based on total student enrollment (13,019 students vs. 1,223 students)

AU vs. Penn State Brandywine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Penn State Brandywine?

  • American University is 281% more expensive to attend than Penn State Brandywine for in-state tuition ($55,724.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 126.9% higher at AU than Penn State Brandywine ($55,724.00 vs. $24,562.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Brandywine than AU ($21,739 vs. $40,189)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Brandywine are 23.1% lower than costs at American University ($13,820 vs. $17,012)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Brandywine than American University (69% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 234.8% larger than aid received Penn State Brandywine ($31,402 vs. $9,380)

AU vs. Penn State Brandywine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 283 points higher than at Penn State Brandywine (969)
  • Incoming AU students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State Brandywine (22)
  • Penn State Brandywine has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than AU (47.4%)

AU vs. Penn State Brandywine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or Penn State Brandywine? 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 Penn State Brandywine and AU.

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than Penn State Brandywine (77% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $9,500 more per year than Penn State Brandywine graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $55,300)
  • American University students graduate with a $2,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Brandywine graduates. ($24,250 vs. $26,818)
  • AU graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Brandywine graduates. ($250 vs. $277)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Brandywine students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)

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