American University vs Elon University

American University and Elon University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. American University, located in the heart of Washington, D.C., boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on public affairs and international studies. Elon University, nestled in the vibrant town of Elon, North Carolina, emphasizes experiential learning and offers a wide range of undergraduate programs. With varying acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation outcomes, these universities cater to different academic aspirations and personal preferences. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your educational goals and aspirations.

	American University	Elon University
Overview
Location	Washington, District of Columbia	Elon, North Carolina
Campus setting	City: Large	Suburb: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	90.0%	88.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Methodism

Admission
Acceptance rate	64.1%	77.7%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $61	Undergraduate: $60 Graduate: $60
SAT range	1280 - 1440	N/A
ACT range	29 - 33	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	28.0%
Students submitting ACT score	18.0%
Total number of applicants	19,650	17,834
Total number of admissions given out	12,594	13,859
Admitted students who chose to enroll	2,372	1,591
Yield rate	18.8%	11.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$70,512	$55,647
Average net price	$28,622	$40,366
Tuition	$52,542	$38,218
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $10,096 Meal plan: $6,314	Room/dormitory: $6,593 Meal plan: $6,829
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	64.0% Average amount $27,332	67.0% Average amount $13,677
Students receiving federal student loan	38.0% Average amount $4,933	30.0% Average amount $5,259
Students taking out private loans	4.0% Average amount $25,877	7.0% Average amount $25,192

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	8,463 Men 37.2% Women 62.8%	6,302 Men 40.2% Women 59.8%
Graduate students	6,389 Men 37.1% Women 62.9%	825 Men 36.5% Women 63.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	80.6%
International students	10.6%	2.0%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	Suburb: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	4,080	4,192
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	North Carolina New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Virginia

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Legal Profession Social Sciences Public Administration and Social Service Education	Business Legal Profession Health Professions Communication and Journalism Education
Students to faculty ratio	12:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Middle States Commission on Higher Education	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	78.7%	83.3%
Dropout rate	20.9%	16.7%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Taxation (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $93,187 Year 2: $97,907 Year 3: $111,993 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $89,205 Year 2: $99,458 Year 3: $107,216 Economics (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $62,457 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $93,099 Public Administration (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $69,734 Year 2: $74,953 Year 3: $85,544 Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $59,308 Year 2: $60,771 Year 3: $80,276 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $60,267 Year 2: $63,203 Year 3: $78,002 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $61,356 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $76,697 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $66,014 Year 3: $76,448 International Relations and National Security Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $59,460 Year 2: $63,692 Year 3: $73,342 Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $63,600 Year 3: $72,861	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $101,556 Year 2: $104,061 Year 3: $105,320 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,803 Year 2: $71,854 Year 3: $78,720 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,320 Year 2: $60,016 Year 3: $77,567 Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,276 Year 2: $54,192 Year 3: $77,220 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,564 Year 2: $62,154 Year 3: $76,604 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $68,888 Year 2: $69,629 Year 3: $70,208 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,091 Year 2: $50,022 Year 3: $64,255 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,189 Year 3: $59,817 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,293 Year 2: $36,674 Year 3: $58,053 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,055 Year 3: $55,617

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