AU vs. Wheaton College

Should I go to American University or Wheaton College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or Wheaton College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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American University vs. Wheaton College comparison
American University Wheaton College College 3 College 4
American University Wheaton College
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Overview

 AU Wheaton College
Location Washington, DC Wheaton, IL
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,885 2,885
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #166
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Undenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu wheaton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 AU Wheaton College
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $41,990
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $41,990
Room & Board $15,706 $11,690
Avg Net Price $41,369 $29,961
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $24,272
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 100%

Admission

 AU Wheaton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 1,893
Admitted 7,926 1,674
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 88.4%
Enrolled % 22.2% 30.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/32 28/33
SAT Range 1290/1430 1250/1430
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

 AU Wheaton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)

Outcomes

 AU Wheaton College
Graduation Rate 77% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $54,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $250 $232

Diversity

 AU Wheaton College
% Men 37% 43%
% Women 63% 57%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 76%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

 AU Wheaton College
% In-State 2% 23%
% Out-of-State 94% 70%

Campus

 AU Wheaton College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • American University is larger than than Wheaton College based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 2,885 students)

AU vs. Wheaton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Wheaton College?

  • American University is 26.4% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($53,070.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.4% higher at AU than Wheaton College ($53,070.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wheaton College than AU ($29,961 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 34.4% lower than costs at American University ($11,690 vs. $15,706)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than American University (100% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 11.8% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($27,138 vs. $24,272)

AU vs. Wheaton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AU or Wheaton College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wheaton College or AU .

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 62 points higher than at AU (1252)
  • Incoming Wheaton College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at AU (28)
  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at AU (3.7)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than AU (40.6%)

AU vs. Wheaton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or Wheaton College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Wheaton College and AU.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than American University (87% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $10,500 more per year than Wheaton College graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $54,300)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $24,250)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($232 vs. $250)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/