American Public University System
American Public University System — Online Programs, Tuition & Accreditation
American Public University System (APUS)
All programs offered completely via distance education
111 W Congress St, Charles Town, West Virginia 25414
Phone: (877) 755-2787
Website: www.apus.edu
Quick Facts
| Type | 4-year, Private for-profit |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission (HLC) — accredited since January 2006, next review August 2031. Previously accredited by DEAC (1995–2012). |
| Programmatic Accreditation | CCNE (nursing — baccalaureate and graduate); Council on Education for Public Health (graduate public health programmes) |
| Total Enrolment | 50,715 (41,620 undergraduate, 9,095 graduate) |
| Student-to-Faculty Ratio | 25 to 1 |
| Faculty | 327 full-time, 1,448 part-time |
| Online Programs | Both undergraduate and graduate — 100% distance education |
| Awards Offered | Certificates, Associate's, Bachelor's, Postbaccalaureate certificate, Master's, Doctor's degree (research/scholarship) |
| Carnegie Classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| Religious Affiliation | None |
| Federal Financial Aid | Yes — Pell Grants and Direct Loans |
| Military/Veteran Friendly | Yes — Yellow Ribbon Program, credit for military training, recognised student veteran organisation, DoD MOU. APUS is one of the largest military-focused universities in the United States. |
| Credit Accepted | Credit for life experiences, Advanced Placement (AP) credits |
| Admissions Policy | Open admissions |
| Cohort Default Rate | 0.0% (2021) |
Mission Statement
The mission of American Public University System is to provide high quality higher education with emphasis on educating the nation's military and public service communities by offering respected, relevant, accessible, affordable, and student-focused online programs that prepare students for service and leadership in a diverse, global society.
Tuition & Fees (2024–2025)
| Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | $8,400 per year |
| Graduate Tuition | $8,190 per year |
| Graduate Fees | $510 per year |
| Total Estimated Cost — Off Campus | $20,384 per year |
| Total Estimated Cost — Living with Family | $11,264 per year |
APUS is one of the most affordable regionally accredited online universities in the country. A tuition payment plan is available. Many military students have tuition fully covered by DoD Tuition Assistance or GI Bill benefits. Figures are sourced from NCES College Navigator — verify directly with the institution.
Financial Aid Snapshot (2023–2024)
| Beginning Students Receiving Any Aid | 98% |
| Beginning Students Receiving Grants | 97% — average $6,508 |
| Beginning Students Receiving Pell Grants | 63% — average $8,600 |
| Beginning Students Receiving Institutional Aid | 79% — average $1,131 |
| Beginning Students Taking Federal Loans | 38% — average $10,929 |
| All Undergrads — Grant/Scholarship Aid | 81% — average $2,119 |
| All Undergrads — Pell Grants | 25% — average $4,258 |
| All Undergrads — Federal Loans | 13% — average $8,895 |
| Average Net Price (2023–2024) | $12,260 |
Average Net Price by Family Income (2023–2024)
| $0 – $30,000 | $9,335 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $9,766 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $8,951 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $15,559 |
Notably, only 13% of all undergraduate students take out federal loans — unusually low for an institution of this size. This reflects the large proportion of military students whose tuition is covered by military benefits rather than loans.
Retention & Graduation
| Full-Time Student Retention | 97% (Fall 2023 to Fall 2024) |
| Part-Time Student Retention | 93% |
| Overall Graduation Rate (150% time) | 57% (students who began 2018–2019) |
| 4-Year Bachelor's Graduation Rate | 35% |
| 6-Year Bachelor's Graduation Rate | 47% |
| 8-Year Bachelor's Graduation Rate | 47% (2016–2017 cohort) |
APUS has strong retention rates (97% full-time, 93% part-time) that compare favourably with most online institutions. The 57% overall graduation rate is reasonable for an open-admissions institution serving primarily part-time adult learners and active-duty military personnel, whose completion timelines are often extended by deployments and service obligations.
Student Demographics (Fall 2024)
| Undergraduate Attendance | 9% full-time, 91% part-time |
| Gender (Undergraduate) | 64% male, 36% female |
| Age (Undergraduate) | 78% aged 25 and over, 22% aged 24 and under |
| Residency | 98% out-of-state, 1% in-state (West Virginia), 1% foreign |
| Graduate Attendance | 10% full-time, 90% part-time |
Online Programs Offered
APUS has one of the broadest programme catalogues of any fully online university, with 15,883 total awards conferred in 2023–2024 across more than 200 programmes. Key programme areas include:
Business & Management (5,266 awards — largest area)
- Business Administration and Management (Certificate, Postgrad Cert, Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's)
- Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management (Postgrad Cert, Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's)
- Business/Commerce, General (Postgrad Cert, Associate's, Bachelor's)
- Human Resources Management (Bachelor's, Master's)
- Entrepreneurship (Bachelor's, Master's)
- Marketing Management (Bachelor's)
- Hospitality Administration (Bachelor's)
- Management Science (Bachelor's, Master's)
- Real Estate (Certificate, Associate's)
- Telecommunications Management (Certificate)
Homeland Security, Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement (1,935 awards)
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies (Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's)
- Homeland Security (Postgrad Cert, Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's)
- Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management (Certificate, Postgrad Cert, Bachelor's, Master's)
- Forensic Science and Technology (Certificate, Bachelor's)
- Securities Services Administration (Certificate, Postgrad Cert, Bachelor's, Master's)
- Fire Science/Fire Services Administration (Certificate, Associate's, Bachelor's)
Military Technologies & Intelligence (808 awards)
- Intelligence, General (Certificate, Bachelor's, Master's)
- Military Technologies and Applied Sciences (Certificate, Postgrad Cert, Associate's, Bachelor's)
- Strategic Intelligence (Postgrad Cert, Doctorate)
- Explosive Ordnance/Bomb Disposal (Certificate, Associate's)
Computer & Information Sciences (1,264 awards)
- Cybersecurity/Information Assurance (Certificate, Postgrad Cert, Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's)
- Information Technology (Bachelor's)
- IT Project Management (Bachelor's)
- Computer Support (Associate's, Bachelor's)
Health Professions
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences (Associate's, Bachelor's)
- Healthcare Administration/Management (Bachelor's, Master's)
- Registered Nursing (Bachelor's, Master's) — CCNE-accredited
- Public Health (Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's) — CEPH-accredited at graduate level
History & Military History
- History, General (Postgrad Cert, Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's)
- Military History (Postgrad Cert, Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's)
Education
- Education, General (Postgrad Cert, Master's)
- Educational Leadership and Administration (Postgrad Cert, Master's)
- Educational/Instructional Technology (Certificate, Postgrad Cert)
- College Student Counseling (Master's)
- Higher Education Administration (Master's)
Also offered: Psychology (Bachelor's, Master's), International/Globalisation Studies (Certificate, Postgrad Cert, Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate), Environmental Science (Bachelor's), Exercise Science and Kinesiology (Bachelor's), Sport and Fitness Management (Postgrad Cert, Bachelor's, Master's), English (Bachelor's), Philosophy (Bachelor's), Religion (Bachelor's), Sociology (Bachelor's, Master's), Political Science (Bachelor's, Master's), Public Administration (Master's), Legal Studies (Certificate, Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's), Family and Child Development (Certificate, Associate's, Bachelor's), Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's), Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology (Certificate, Postgrad Cert, Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's), Electrical Engineering (Bachelor's), Liberal Arts/General Studies (Associate's, Bachelor's), Culinary Arts (Associate's), and more.
Student Services
- Academic and career counselling
- Disability services — learn more
Military & Veteran Support
| Yellow Ribbon Program | Yes |
| Military Credit | Credit awarded for military training |
| Veteran Support | Dedicated point of contact, recognised student veteran organisation |
| DoD Partnership | Member of DoD Voluntary Educational Partnership MOU |
| GI Bill Recipients — Undergraduate | 12,680 students — average benefit $4,537 |
| GI Bill Recipients — Graduate | 4,008 students — average benefit $3,999 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance — Undergraduate | 45,564 students — average benefit $2,124 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance — Graduate | 8,405 students — average benefit $2,176 |
APUS is one of the largest providers of higher education to the US military. Over 70,000 military educational benefit disbursements were made in 2023–2024, reflecting the institution's core mission of serving military and public service communities. The majority of undergraduate students use DoD Tuition Assistance rather than GI Bill benefits, suggesting a predominantly active-duty student population.
Important Links
| Admissions | www.apu.apus.edu/admissions |
| Financial Aid / Tuition | www.apu.apus.edu/tuition-and-financing |
| Military Tuition Assistance | www.apu.apus.edu/.../military-ta |
| Net Price Calculator | www.apu.apus.edu/calc/apu.html |
| Disability Services | apu.apus.edu/advising/disability.html |
About American Public University System
American Public University System (APUS) is one of the largest fully online universities in the United States, with over 50,000 students. Based in Charles Town, West Virginia, APUS operates two institutions — American Military University (AMU) and American Public University (APU) — both under the same accreditation umbrella. APUS is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), one of the major regional accreditors, and holds additional programmatic accreditation from CCNE (nursing) and CEPH (public health). The institution was founded with an explicit mission to serve military and public service communities, and this remains its defining characteristic: over 70,000 military educational benefit disbursements were made in 2023–2024, making it one of the largest military-serving universities in the country. The majority of students are active-duty military personnel using DoD Tuition Assistance. APUS offers an extraordinarily broad programme catalogue — over 200 programmes spanning business, criminal justice, homeland security, intelligence, IT, health, education, history, and many other fields. Tuition is affordable at $8,400 per year for undergraduates, and most military students have their tuition fully covered by benefits. Retention rates are strong (97% full-time, 93% part-time), and the overall graduation rate of 57% is solid for an open-admissions institution serving a predominantly part-time, adult, and military population.
Community Discussion
Have you attended APUS, AMU, or APU, or are you considering it? Share your experience or ask questions in our Course & Program Reviews forum.
Information on this page is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) College Navigator database and the institution's official website. Data reflects the most recently available reporting year. Details may have changed — always verify directly with APUS before making enrolment or financial decisions. Last updated: April 2026.