American University Rankings by Salary Score

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Salary and Debt by Major at American University

We calculated a Salary Score for each of American University's programs by comparing program-specific median alumni earnings to median alumni earnings for the same program across all schools that provide this data. This way, students can compare the relative salary strength of a specific major at American University to the same major at other schools. A school's overall score by level is based on the school's by-program performance weighted by student enrollment in each program. Data is sourced from the December 2020 release of the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and reflects median alumni debt upon graduation and median alumni earnings in the year after graduation for students who received federal financial aid. Debt and salary numbers are shown rounded to the nearest $10.

Salary Score ™ for AU Bachelor's Degrees

Field of Study Salary Score Employment Rate Median Debt Median Salary Salary Score
Area Studies 76 88% 88% $26,000 $39,650 76
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians 71 100% 100% $23,250 $30,410 71
Biology, General 76 87% 87% $23,250 $32,710 76
Business Administration, Management and Operations 88 92% 92% $23,250 $53,200 88
Communication and Media Studies 96 94% 94% $26,000 $44,930 96
Computer Science 61 96% 96% $26,640 $73,320 61
Criminal Justice and Corrections 63 100% 100% $25,000 $37,750 63
Design and Applied Arts 83 100% 100% Not Reported $42,680 83
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft 24 95% 95% Not Reported $20,140 24
Economics 46 95% 95% $23,880 $47,650 46
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies 90 94% 94% Not Reported $36,130 90
Film/Video and Photographic Arts 91 97% 97% $23,050 $33,460 91
Finance and Financial Management Services 88 100% 100% $25,000 $62,150 88
History 87 100% 100% $26,800 $38,290 87
International Relations and National Security Studies 77 92% 92% $23,250 $43,040 77
Journalism 89 96% 96% $25,000 $39,370 89
Literature 96 91% 91% $26,000 $39,370 96
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 80 96% 96% $24,190 $44,060 80
Music 61 93% 93% Not Reported $29,690 61
Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate) 95 83% 83% $26,000 $50,610 95
Political Science and Government 96 95% 95% $22,250 $47,260 96
Psychology, General 84 90% 90% $25,000 $34,700 84
Public Health 64 96% 96% $25,000 $36,990 64
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 98 100% 100% $25,770 $48,730 98
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 91 92% 92% Not Reported $42,680 91
Sociology 89 95% 95% $23,500 $39,370 89
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 100 87% 87% $26,800 $51,690 100

Salary Score ™ for AU Master's Degrees

Field of Study Salary Score Employment Rate Median Debt Median Salary Salary Score
Accounting and Related Services 70 95% 95% Not Reported $64,490 70
Area Studies 41 100% 100% Not Reported $39,370 41
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management 61 100% 100% Not Reported $47,650 61
Business Administration, Management and Operations 80 97% 97% $85,000 $89,130 80
Communication and Media Studies 88 97% 97% $51,250 $62,480 88
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other 78 100% 100% Not Reported $61,520 78
Criminal Justice and Corrections 80 100% 100% Not Reported $61,680 80
Curriculum and Instruction 100 97% 97% Not Reported $70,010 100
Economics 87 92% 92% $51,250 $80,960 87
Educational Administration and Supervision 75 100% 100% $33,940 $65,330 75
Film/Video and Photographic Arts 99 100% 100% $63,340 $48,820 99
Finance and Financial Management Services 58 92% 92% Not Reported $81,660 58
Fine and Studio Arts 46 96% 96% $41,000 $30,410 46
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services 70 97% 97% $51,250 $52,110 70
History 81 100% 100% $51,250 $47,260 81
Homeland Security 33 94% 94% $41,000 $57,320 33
International and Comparative Education 54 97% 97% $49,600 $52,610 54
International Relations and National Security Studies 69 95% 95% $70,560 $61,950 69
Journalism 67 100% 100% $56,100 $47,260 67
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies 35 93% 93% $64,660 $58,000 35
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 48 100% 100% $41,000 $82,880 48
Natural Resources Conservation and Research 77 94% 94% Not Reported $57,320 77
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution 85 93% 93% $61,550 $55,000 85
Philosophy 76 93% 93% $56,580 $44,930 76
Political Science and Government 57 100% 100% Not Reported $50,470 57
Public Administration 95 96% 96% $60,490 $72,710 95
Public Health 59 100% 100% Not Reported $57,320 59
Public Policy Analysis 48 94% 94% $61,500 $59,490 48
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 45 100% 100% $53,000 $51,270 45
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies 93 100% 100% Not Reported $52,110 93
Special Education and Teaching 85 95% 95% $42,000 $58,220 85
Statistics 32 100% 100% Not Reported $79,470 32
Taxation 98 96% 96% Not Reported $110,880 98
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 95 97% 97% $51,250 $58,870 95

Salary Score ™ for AU Doctoral Degrees

Field of Study Salary Score Employment Rate Median Debt Median Salary Salary Score
Anthropology 53 100% 100% Not Reported $53,360 53
Law 46 94% 94% $178,000 $65,830 46

American University Reviews

3.58
(153 Reviews)

Reviews by Program

Business
Master's

3.77

Law
Doctorate

3.42

MBA
Master's

2.99

Political Science
Bachelor's

4.04

Most Recent Reviews

Krysten H 2/7/2023

I started attending American University online during the worst of COVID back in 2020. I was struggling to find a job with my Bachelors in English, and a friend of mine told me about AU. I'm very glad she did, as it's helped me find my dream job, even if my educational journey has not necessarily been easy. The best and worst parts of AU are the classes in my opinion. When you have a good professor, everything clicks and it can seriously help you with your job. When you get a bad professor, it is an endurance... Read More

MPA 2022 1/28/2022

The only reason this school ranks so high is it's proximity to the federal job market. The professors here are horrendously unorganized, you get few skills seriously needed in the workplace, and their reaction to the pandemic demonstrated how little they care about student and faculty safety when compared to their bottom line. This is one of the most expensive public service schools in the country and all you are really paying for is terrible experience just to say you went here.