10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$71,792at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
American University
⌖ Washington, DC · 59 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$71,792 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
12.6 yrsModeled economic break-even
−21%Modeled 10-year ROI
$72,598Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$41,943Average net price / year
$76,058Cost of attendance
$72,598Median earnings · year 5 after completion
75.5%Completion rate
62.0%Admission rate
7,266Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$50,329Year 1
$79,081Year 4
$72,598Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Finance and Financial Management Services · Bachelor's Degree$134,3322Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods · Master's Degree$127,3563Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$127,2694Accounting and Related Services · Bachelor's Degree$119,0205Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$117,2936Accounting and Related Services · Master's Degree$112,3847Law · First Professional Degree$109,5238Public Administration · Master's Degree$107,866Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in DC
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Washington, DC
The Catholic University of America
- Annual net price
- $29,561
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $73,531
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -4%
Howard University
- Annual net price
- $50,539
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $64,373
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -49%
George Washington University
- Annual net price
- $36,586
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $91,442
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +42%
Georgetown University
- Annual net price
- $40,815
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $101,620
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +65%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $134,332 | $22,625 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Master's Degree | $127,356 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $127,269 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $119,020 | Not available |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $117,293 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $112,384 | Not available |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $109,523 | Not available |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $107,866 | Not available |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Master's Degree | $104,878 | Not available |
| Economics | Master's Degree | $103,169 | Not available |
| Public Policy Analysis | Master's Degree | $98,588 | Not available |
| Political Science and Government | Master's Degree | $98,567 | Not available |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Master's Degree | $97,932 | Not available |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Master's Degree | $97,808 | Not available |
| Homeland Security | Master's Degree | $96,954 | Not available |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | Master's Degree | $96,768 | Not available |
| Communication and Media Studies | Master's Degree | $94,424 | Not available |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $93,310 | Not available |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | Master's Degree | $89,800 | Not available |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Master's Degree | $89,015 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $88,359 | $24,697 |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $85,016 | $22,625 |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $83,880 | Not available |
| Philosophy | Master's Degree | $82,273 | Not available |
| Political Science and Government | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $81,004 | $23,250 |
| International and Comparative Education | Master's Degree | $79,464 | Not available |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $78,410 | $26,442 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Master's Degree | $76,808 | Not available |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $76,552 | $23,000 |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $75,461 | $20,980 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | Master's Degree | $74,598 | Not available |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | Master's Degree | $74,573 | Not available |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $73,865 | $23,250 |
| Psychology, General | Master's Degree | $73,628 | Not available |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $73,604 | $23,250 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $72,792 | $24,375 |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | $70,831 | $23,452 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $69,517 | $24,250 |
| History | Master's Degree | $68,296 | Not available |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $67,863 | $22,611 |
| Journalism | Master's Degree | $67,819 | Not available |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Master's Degree | $67,617 | Not available |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $66,970 | $23,250 |
| Journalism | Bachelor's Degree | $66,635 | $25,000 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $66,603 | $22,673 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $66,160 | $27,000 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | Master's Degree | $65,062 | Not available |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $63,711 | $26,905 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $63,553 | $25,000 |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $62,240 | $23,799 |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $59,630 | $26,000 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Master's Degree | $55,550 | Not available |
| Literature | Bachelor's Degree | $54,436 | $26,105 |
| Anthropology | Bachelor's Degree | $53,036 | $27,000 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $52,661 | $23,250 |
| Area Studies | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $27,000 |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $19,866 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $24,989 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $23,250 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.