AU vs. Washington College

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

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 Mason Lafayette College DU Drexel William & Mary Elon University of Richmond Bucknell
American University vs. Washington College comparison
American University Washington College College 3 College 4
American University Washington College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

AU Washington College
Location Washington, DC Chestertown, MD
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 13,885 955
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu washcoll.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Washington College
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $50,626
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $50,626
Room & Board $15,706 $13,834
Avg Net Price $41,369 $31,650
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $35,683
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 98%

Admission

AU Washington College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 2,554
Admitted 7,926 1,908
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 74.7%
Enrolled % 22.2% 12.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/32 25/29
SAT Range 1290/1430 1190/1390
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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

AU Washington College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Business (18%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

AU Washington College
Graduation Rate 77% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $50,800
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $250 $250

Diversity

AU Washington College
% Men 37% 42%
% Women 63% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 73%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

AU Washington College
% In-State 2% 44%
% Out-of-State 94% 53%

Campus

AU Washington College
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 Washington College based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 955 students)

AU vs. Washington College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Washington College?

  • American University is 4.8% more expensive to attend than Washington College for in-state tuition ($53,070.00 vs. $50,626.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.8% higher at AU than Washington College ($53,070.00 vs. $50,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington College than AU ($31,650 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington College are 13.5% lower than costs at American University ($13,834 vs. $15,706)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Washington College than American University (98% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington College students is 31.5% larger than aid received American University ($35,683 vs. $27,138)

AU vs. Washington College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Washington College students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at AU (3.7)
  • Washington College has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than AU (40.6%)

AU vs. Washington College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or Washington 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 Washington College and AU.

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than Washington College (77% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $14,000 more per year than Washington College graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $50,800)
  • Washington College and AU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($24,250 vs. $24,250)
  • Washington College and AU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($250 vs. $250)
  • More Washington College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 80%)

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