A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at AU are mainly White with a smaller Hispanic population. The school has high racial diversity. 42% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
58%
|
| Black |
7%
|
| Hispanic |
12%
|
| Asian |
7%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
5%
|
| International |
7%
|
| Race Unknown |
4%
|
There are 66% more female students than male students enrolled at American University with a gender ratio of 25% women to 15% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, AU has a much lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is much less inclusive of females.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
15%
|
| Women |
25%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
1,954
|
| Women |
3,248
|
AU serves a very high number of out-of-state students with 98% of the student body residing outside of District Of Columbia or from other countries.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
2%
|
| Out of State |
94%
|
| Foreign |
4%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
15% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 2.8% |
| Part time Undergrads | 3.6% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=131159 IPEDS survey data for American University.
Last updated February 24, 2025