Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsPrivate (for-profit)
American Public University System
6-yr Graduation
57%
+24.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Total enrollment
50,715
peer median 10,400
Avg net price
$9,597
-$11k vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Use this data
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Overall completion
57%+24.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Overall completion
57%+24.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
4-year graduation
35%
4-year graduation
35%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
47%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
47%
Full-time retention
97%
Full-time retention
97%
Pell equity
4.2pp gap
Pell recipients
55%233 of 423
Non-Pell (all)
59%250 of 422
Subsidized loan, no Pell
53%19 of 36
No Federal Aid
60%231 of 386
Non-Pell students graduate at a 4.2-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 173 Title IV programs, 64 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 109 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Total programs
173
Passing
64
37.0% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national
Pass / fail distribution
173programs
- Passing64 · 37.0%
- No Data109 · 63.0%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
10
Safe
54
No data
109
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Program
Typical
Benchmark
EP gap
Human Development Family Studies and Related Services
Associate Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
$38,583
$34,808
National HS Median
+10.8%
+$3,775
Human Development Family Studies and Related Services
Associate Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
+10.8%
$38,583 vs $34,808
Legal Support Services
Associate Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
$39,259
$34,808
National HS Median
+12.8%
+$4,451
Legal Support Services
Associate Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
+12.8%
$39,259 vs $34,808
Public Health
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
$39,409
$34,808
National HS Median
+13.2%
+$4,601
Public Health
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+13.2%
$39,409 vs $34,808
History
Graduate Certificate · History
$61,512
$53,884
National Same-Field BA Median
+14.2%
+$7,628
History
Graduate Certificate · History
+14.2%
$61,512 vs $53,884
History
Master's Degree · History
$63,247
$53,884
National Same-Field BA Median
+17.4%
+$9,363
History
Master's Degree · History
+17.4%
$63,247 vs $53,884
Communication and Media Studies
Associate Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
$42,077
$34,808
National HS Median
+20.9%
+$7,269
Communication and Media Studies
Associate Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
+20.9%
$42,077 vs $34,808
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
$56,370
$46,391
National Same-Field BA Median
+21.5%
+$9,979
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
+21.5%
$56,370 vs $46,391
Non-Professional Legal Studies
Master's Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
$67,802
$54,534
National Same-Field BA Median
+24.3%
+$13,268
Non-Professional Legal Studies
Master's Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
+24.3%
$67,802 vs $54,534
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Program
Median debt
Median earnings
Debt burden
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
$53,036
$56,370
94%
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
$53,036 debt · $56,370 earn
History
Graduate Certificate · History
$49,907
$61,512
81%
History
Graduate Certificate · History
$49,907 debt · $61,512 earn
Education General
Master's Degree · Education
$41,012
$57,967
71%
Education General
Master's Degree · Education
$41,012 debt · $57,967 earn
Human Development Family Studies and Related Services
Bachelor Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
$32,918
$47,294
70%
Human Development Family Studies and Related Services
Bachelor Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
$32,918 debt · $47,294 earn
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
$28,609
$43,415
66%
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
$28,609 debt · $43,415 earn
Hospitality Administration/Management
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
$29,006
$46,000
63%
Hospitality Administration/Management
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
$29,006 debt · $46,000 earn
Human Development Family Studies and Related Services
Associate Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
$23,750
$38,583
62%
Human Development Family Studies and Related Services
Associate Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
$23,750 debt · $38,583 earn
Legal Support Services
Associate Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
$24,166
$39,259
62%
Legal Support Services
Associate Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
$24,166 debt · $39,259 earn
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor
Higher Learning Commission
Accredited since 2006Next review Aug 2031
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor
Distance Education Accrediting Commission
Accredited since 1995Next review Dec 2016
Programmatic accreditations · 3
Action history · 4
- Aug 2022Renewal of AccreditationCouncil on Education for Public Health · Public Health Programs (PHPG) - Graduate level program offered outside a school of public health
- Apr 2022Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
- Aug 2021Renewal of AccreditationHigher Learning Commission
- Mar 2017Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$110k+—
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Avg net price (private)
$9,597
-$10,717vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs median $20,314
Federal loans
12.2%
In-state tuition
$8,400
Out-of-state
$8,400
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 19,766 students received $76.7M in Pell grants, alongside $106.6M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients
19,766
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$76.7M
$76,699,414 total
Direct Loans
$106.6M
17,335 loan awards
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
15k’20
15k’21
16k’22
16k’23
20k’24
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Subsidized$26.7M
7,044 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$36.3M
7,326 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$40.1M
2,751 loan awards
Parent PLUS$180K
18 loan awards
Grad PLUS$3.3M
196 loan awards
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 9,587 borrowers who entered repayment, 234 (2.4%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate
2.4%
+0.1pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
9,587
Defaulted
234
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard
Default rate vs national, by cohort
2016
18.5%+9.2
2017
15.2%+6.0
2018
9.4%+2.4
2019
2.4%+0.1
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at APUS
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Distinct CIP programs109
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered
Top program families by completions
14,696 total completions
01Business
5,85439.8%
01Business
5,85439.8%
02Security/Protective
1,79712.2%
02Security/Protective
1,79712.2%
03Health Professions
1,66111.3%
03Health Professions
1,66111.3%
04Liberal Arts
1,4029.5%
04Liberal Arts
1,4029.5%
05Computer Sciences
1,2738.7%
05Computer Sciences
1,2738.7%
06Military Tech
7375.0%
06Military Tech
7375.0%
07Parks/Recreation
6724.6%
07Parks/Recreation
6724.6%
08Psychology
5233.6%
08Psychology
5233.6%
09Natural Resources
4122.8%
09Natural Resources
4122.8%
10Multi/Interdisciplinary
3652.5%
10Multi/Interdisciplinary
3652.5%
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Fall total
50,715
12-mo unduplicated
95,700
Undergraduate
78,494
Graduate
17,206
Gender split
Men
64%61,484
Women
36%34,216
Race / ethnicity composition
White
44.2%
Hispanic
20.0%
Black
17.8%
Unknown
7.4%
Two or more
4.8%
Asian
3.0%
Non-resident
1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.5%
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.00
0 offenses · 50,187 students
3-year trend
0.002 yrs ago0.001 yr ago0.00Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
0
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
0
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0
Criminal offenses by type
No criminal offenses reported.
By location
0total
VAWA offenses
0
Domestic violence
0
Dating violence
0
Stalking
0 total under the Violence Against Women Act.
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs02
Liquor00
Residence-hall fires
No residence-hall fires reported.
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Student-to-faculty
25.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
327
APUS vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions APUS selected for federal comparison reporting.
This institutionPeer median
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectAmerican Public University System | 57% | — | 50,715 | $9,597 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| 45% | — | 27,169 | $38,875 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 26% | — | 17,763 | $14,580 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 33% | — | 3,037 | $21,050 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| — | — | 2,498 | $25,532 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 19% | — | 1,998 | $19,578 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| Peer group median | 33% | — | 10,400 | $20,314 |
Institutions like APUS
Explore the federal data for institutions in APUS's comparison group.
- Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsFlorida
Full Sail University
Grad rate45%Admit rate—Enrollment27,169Net price$38,875View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsAlabama
Columbia Southern University
Grad rate26%Admit rate—Enrollment17,763Net price$14,580View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsNorth Carolina
Strayer University-North Carolina
Grad rate33%Admit rate—Enrollment3,037Net price$21,050View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsKentucky
Sullivan University
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment2,498Net price$25,532View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsVirginia
Strayer University-Virginia
Grad rate19%Admit rate—Enrollment1,998Net price$19,578View data
Frequently asked questions about American Public University System
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about APUS.
What is the graduation rate at American Public University System?
American Public University System reports a 6-year graduation rate of 57% per the latest IPEDS.
How many students attend American Public University System?
American Public University System reports a total enrollment of 50,715 students per the latest IPEDS.
What is the average net price at American Public University System?
The average net price at American Public University System is $9,597 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.
Where is American Public University System located?
American Public University System is located in Charles Town, West Virginia 25414.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →
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