Syracuse University vs American University

Syracuse University and American University, both located in vibrant cities, offer distinct educational experiences. Syracuse, with an acceptance rate of 50%, boasts a larger student body, while American University, with an acceptance rate of 35%, fosters a more intimate learning environment. Syracuse excels in fields like engineering, business, and communications, while American University shines in international studies, public affairs, and performing arts. Syracuse's diverse student body hails from 50 states and 120 countries, while American University attracts a significant international student population. Both universities boast impressive graduation rates, with Syracuse at 86% and American University at 84%. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover more key differences and find the university that best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

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

Admission
Acceptance rate	64.1%	59.2%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $61	Undergraduate: $85 Graduate: $75
SAT range	1280 - 1440	1220 - 1400
ACT range	29 - 33	27 - 32
Students submitting SAT score	28.0%	25.0%
Students submitting ACT score	18.0%	13.0%
Total number of applicants	19,650	39,682
Total number of admissions given out	12,594	23,489
Admitted students who chose to enroll	2,372	3,765
Yield rate	18.8%	16.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$70,512	$77,896
Average net price	$28,622	$43,545
Tuition	$52,542	$55,920
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $10,096 Meal plan: $6,314	Room/dormitory: $9,075 Meal plan: $7,820
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	64.0% Average amount $27,332	86.0% Average amount $31,590
Students receiving federal student loan	38.0% Average amount $4,933	37.0% Average amount $5,350
Students taking out private loans	4.0% Average amount $25,877	7.0% Average amount $26,377

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	8,463 Men 37.2% Women 62.8%	14,778 Men 45.4% Women 54.6%
Graduate students	6,389 Men 37.1% Women 62.9%	6,994 Men 48.0% Women 52.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	67.2%
International students	10.6%	16.9%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	4,080	8,291
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	New York New Jersey Mississippi California Pennsylvania

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Legal Profession Social Sciences Public Administration and Social Service Education	Business Computer and Information Science Engineering Communication and Journalism Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio	12:1	14:1
Institutional accreditation	Middle States Commission on Higher Education	Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	78.7%	82.4%
Dropout rate	20.9%	17.0%
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	Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $78,789 Year 2: $88,195 Year 3: $94,942 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $98,396 Year 2: $77,966 Year 3: $88,763 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,925 Year 2: $66,989 Year 3: $82,179 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $68,264 Year 2: $64,087 Year 3: $79,186 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,439 Year 2: $66,653 Year 3: $79,132 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $65,871 Year 2: $62,343 Year 3: $77,924 Business/Managerial Economics (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $62,674 Year 3: $77,843 Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,673 Year 2: $67,101 Year 3: $76,227 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $59,689 Year 2: $56,776 Year 3: $74,295 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,229 Year 2: $61,303 Year 3: $73,883

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