Is American or Tufts harder to get into?

Tufts is harder to get into than American. Tufts's 9.5% acceptance rate is lower than American's 12.9%.

Which is cheaper, American or Tufts?

Tufts costs less on average. After grants and scholarships, Tufts's average net price is $39,998 vs $40,815 at American.

Which has higher post-graduation earnings, American or Tufts?

American graduates earn more on average. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $103,494 at American and $83,214 at Tufts.

American vs. Tufts: Acceptance Rate, SAT, Cost & Outcomes Compared

Metric	American	Tufts
Acceptance rate	12.9%	9.5%
SAT mid-50%	1390–1550	1490–1550
ACT mid-50%	31–35	33–35
Cost of attendance	$88,741	$89,464
Avg net price (after aid)	$40,815	$39,998
Undergrad enrollment	7,569	6,826
6-yr graduation rate	94.8%	93.5%
Median earnings (10yr)	$103,494	$83,214
Setting	Washington, D.C.	Medford, Massachusetts

The Real Differences

Tufts is meaningfully harder to get into. A 3.4-percentage-point gap between 12.9% (American) and 9.5% (Tufts) reflects real selectivity differences. American is the more realistic target for a balanced college list.

Net cost is essentially the same at both schools after grants and scholarships, despite different sticker prices. Both schools meet most demonstrated need for in-range income brackets.

American graduates earn $20,280 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. Tufts grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.

Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. American is in Washington, D.C.; Tufts is in Medford, Massachusetts. 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.

Student Body Composition

The two schools have different student body compositions. American is 59.0% women, 13.3% international, and 15.4% Asian-American. Tufts is 56.5% women, 12.6% international, and 16.8% Asian-American.

Demographic	American	Tufts
Women	59.0%	56.5%
International	13.3%	12.6%
White	46.1%	40.6%
Asian	15.4%	16.8%
Hispanic	5.9%	10.1%
Black	4.9%	6.1%

Personalized estimate

What are your odds at American vs. Tufts?

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The Verdict

Pick American if

Your odds are realistic at American (slightly easier admit)
Higher median post-grad earnings ($103,494 vs $83,214)
Higher 6-year graduation rate
its School of International Service and close ties to D.C. policy and journalism

Pick Tufts if

Net price matters: Tufts costs $817 less per year on average
the Fletcher School ties

Headline numbers favor one school or the other on each axis, but neither is unambiguously “better.” The right answer depends on your major fit, geographic preference, financial need, and personal odds at each. Most applicants who get into one of these schools also get into the other.

Full School Pages

For complete admissions data, supplemental essay strategy, and class profile breakdowns:

Full profile

American University

12.9% accept · Washington, D.C.

Full profile

Tufts University

9.5% accept · Medford, Massachusetts

Sources

U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard for acceptance rates, test ranges, financial aid, demographics, completion, and earnings.
IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) for the underlying federal data.
Each school's most recent published Common Data Set for cycle-specific admissions stats.

Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect each school's most recent publicly published admit cycle.

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