Outcomes-based program rankings.
Program outcomes at American University vary significantly by field of study. These rankings evaluate each program by post-graduation earnings, debt burden, and return on investment — not prestige or reputation.
Use this analysis to compare programs and understand which fields deliver the strongest outcomes.
Analyzing 29 programs with available earnings data.
recent graduates
This bar shows the range of median earnings across all majors at this school.
The tables below compare programs in each category by earnings, rank, debt, and cohort size.
These sections represent the complete set of ranked undergraduate programs at American University.
Computer Science. leads engineering & technology with 74K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science. | — | $73,635 | — | 21 |
Program rankings are derived entirely from post-graduation outcomes. We do not use reputation surveys, selectivity metrics, or SAT scores. This means some programs may rank differently than you'd expect based on prestige — and that's intentional.
Median earnings 10 years post-enrollment
Debt burden relative to earnings
Institutional contribution to outcomes
Resources, cohort size, and graduation rates
Trajectory from early to mid-career
Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping. leads business & economics with 87K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping. | — | $87,151★ | — | 25 |
| Banking and Financial Support Services. | — | $86,053 | — | 64 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | — | $78,264 | $63,428 | 205 |
Behavioral Aspects of Health. leads health with 57K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Aspects of Health. | — | $56,709 | $76,665 | 84 |
Biology, General. leads sciences & mathematics with 31K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology, General. | — | $30,771 | — | 31 |
Applied Economics. leads social sciences & policy with 70K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Economics. | — | $69,607★ | $80,124 | 90 |
| Applied/Public Sociology.Small sample | — | $65,245 | — | 15 |
| American Government and Politics (United States). | — | $62,267 | $48,000 | 164 |
| International Relations and Affairs. | — | $60,883 | $53,146 | 434 |
| Psychology, General. | — | $56,267 | — | 66 |
| Anthropology, General.Small sample | — | $26,933 | — | 15 |
Advertising. leads communications with 75K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising. | — | $75,287★ | $85,388 | 105 |
| Communication and Media Studies, Other. | — | $64,488 | — | 34 |
| Broadcast Journalism. | — | $50,957 | $76,984 | 45 |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians, Other.Small sample | — | $46,422 | — | 15 |
Cinematography and Film/Video Production. leads humanities & arts with 59K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cinematography and Film/Video Production. | — | $58,692★ | — | 47 |
| American History (United States). | — | $56,450 | — | 38 |
| American Literature (Canadian). | — | $41,343 | — | 27 |
| Art History, Criticism and Conservation. | — | $35,115 | — | 22 |
| Acting. | — | $34,893 | — | 25 |
| Brass Instruments.Small sample | — | $29,685 | — | 9 |
Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching. leads education with 49K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching. | — | $49,136 | — | 30 |
Environmental Science. leads agriculture & environment with 42K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Science. | — | $41,992 | — | 24 |
Corrections Administration. leads criminal justice with 61K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corrections Administration. | — | $61,255 | $75,118 | 79 |
Legal Studies. leads other & interdisciplinary with 64K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Studies. | — | $64,040★ | — | 31 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | — | $58,815 | $69,814 | 116 |
| African Studies.Small sample | — | $52,509 | — | 18 |
| African-American/Black Studies.Small sample | — | $29,685 | — | 19 |
Why rankings may differ by program: A university's nursing program and business program can have entirely different outcome profiles. Our methodology surfaces these differences so you can evaluate programs — not just institutions.
