American University vs. University of Miami

American is meaningfully harder to get into. A 6.0-percentage-point gap between 12.9% (American) and 18.9% (Miami) reflects real selectivity differences. Miami is the more realistic target for a balanced college list.

American draws stronger test scores. Mid-50% SAT range tops out at 1550 vs 1480 at the other school. Differences in test profile usually reflect a school's STEM-vs-humanities mix and the self-selection of applicants, not raw academic quality.

American graduates earn $28,166 more on average at the 10-year mark. This usually reflects major distribution more than school quality — schools that concentrate in CS, engineering, and finance pull higher medians than schools with more humanities and social science graduates. Miami grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.

Miami is substantially larger with 12,913 undergrads vs 7,569 at American. Bigger universities have more major options and broader research opportunities; smaller ones offer more access to faculty and tighter-knit communities.

Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. American is in Washington, D.C.; Miami is in Coral Gables, Florida. Climate, cost-of-living, and proximity to job markets in your target field shape the four-year experience and post-grad pipeline more than most prospective students realize.

American has a more international student body (13.3% non-resident students vs 7.6%). For applicants who value global exposure or have international academic interests, that mix shows up in classroom culture and alumni network.

American's graduation rate is meaningfully higher (94.8% vs 83.7% 6-year completion). Graduation gaps at this level usually reflect support-system differences, financial aid adequacy, or degree-flexibility — worth verifying with each school's first-year retention and major-change policies.