American Public University System is a private for-profit institution offering graduate degrees based in Charles Town, West Virginia. It enrolls 40,074 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Open / Online). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Strong
81/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes86
Value71
Affordability45
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for American Public University System.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending American Public University System isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $9,597 per year. That's well below the typical net price for private for-profit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$9,597
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
25%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
12%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$8,400
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,120
Books & Supplies
$0
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,864
Total Cost of Attendance
$18,768
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$9,335
$30,001 – $48,000
$9,766
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,951
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,559
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,64010%percentile
$3,01125%percentile
$21,743Medianpercentile
$16,19875%percentile
$30,62090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $10,617
↓ $11,126
No Pell $9,500
↓ $12,243
Dependent students $7,475
↓ $14,268
Independent students $10,500
↓ $11,243
Female students $11,270
↓ $10,473
Male students $9,500
↓ $12,243
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,170, less than completers ($21,743), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
15% of full-time students who enrolled at American Public University System graduate within six years, and 96% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
15%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
96%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered American Public University System earn a median of $44,409 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$44,409
Earning > $25K
65%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
24.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 81% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
American Public University System is home to 40,074 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 53% are first-generation college students, 91% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
40,074
Part-Time
91%
First-Generation
53%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 44.2%17,725
Hispanic 20.0%8,027
Black 17.8%7,141
Other 6.3%2,533
Asian 3.0%1,206
International 1.2%469
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at American Public University System. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: FringeCharles Town, West Virginia
Housing
Commuter campusOnline-only, no physical campus
Adult Learners
78%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Other Academic Yearscheduling structure
Designation
Online-only institution
What You Can Study
American Public University System offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
112 distinct programs across
23 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at American Public University System is 25:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
25:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Avg Faculty Salary
$59,151
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
341 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
58
17%
$74,115
Associate Professors
151
44%
$62,095
Assistant Professors
56
16%
$51,039
Instructors
76
22%
$47,857
Pros & Cons of American Public University System
A quick at-a-glance summary of how American Public University System tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Wide variety of programs and student life
Strong first-year retention
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Large institutional setting can feel impersonal
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
For-profit institution, verify accreditation and outcomes carefully
Best for:
Based on the data, American Public University System is a fit for
families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who want a large campus with breadth and variety.
Frequently Asked Questions about American Public University System
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about American Public University System.
How much does American Public University System cost?
The average net price after aid at American Public University System is $9,597 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is American Public University System worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $44,409 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,597 per year. That's roughly 4.6x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is American Public University System known for?
American Public University System is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Liberal Arts, Business Administration. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do American Public University System graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering American Public University System are $44,409, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is American Public University System accredited?
Yes. American Public University System is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend American Public University System?
American Public University System enrolls 40,074 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at American Public University System?
American Public University System graduates 15% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is American Public University System a public or private college?
American Public University System is a Private For-Profit institution.
Where is American Public University System located?
American Public University System is located in Charles Town, West Virginia.
What programs does American Public University System offer?
American Public University System offers 112 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Liberal Arts, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at American Public University System?
The student-to-faculty ratio at American Public University System is 25:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in West Virginia
Other colleges in West Virginia share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,839 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Rankings That Feature American Public University System
American Public University System appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
Most Affordable Legal Studies Colleges
The most affordable colleges for Legal Studies, ranked by net price with earnings and outcomes shown.
$3,203 Lowest Net
$23,289 Avg Net
93 UCD Score
$78,466 Top Earn
Most Affordable Military Tech Colleges
The most affordable colleges for Military Tech, ranked by net price with earnings and outcomes shown.
$7,892 Lowest Net
$20,713 Avg Net
89 UCD Score
$101,817 Top Earn
Most Affordable Personal Services Colleges
The most affordable colleges for Personal Services, ranked by net price with earnings and outcomes shown.
$4,904 Lowest Net
$15,222 Avg Net
88 UCD Score
$60,327 Top Earn
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
