American Public University System (APSU) vs Liberty University

American Public University System (APUS) and Liberty University are two distinct institutions of higher learning that cater to diverse student populations. APUS, a public university, boasts an open admissions policy, resulting in a higher acceptance rate compared to Liberty University, a private Christian university with a selective admissions process. While both universities offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, APUS excels in business and management studies, while Liberty University is renowned for its strong programs in religion and theology. APUS attracts a more diverse student body, with a significant proportion of military-affiliated students, while Liberty University primarily enrolls traditional undergraduate students. Despite their differences, both universities share a commitment to providing affordable and accessible education, with Liberty University offering competitive financial aid packages and APUS catering to working adults with flexible online learning options. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these universities and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic goals and preferences.

	American Public University System	Liberty University
Overview
Location	Charles Town, West Virginia	Lynchburg, Virginia
Campus setting	Town: Fringe	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (For Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Non Traditional	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	91.0%	79.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation		Evangelical

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	99.3%
Application fees		Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants		28,448
Total number of admissions given out		28,244
Admitted students who chose to enroll		5,461
Yield rate		19.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	Not required	N/A
High school GPA	N/A	Required
Recommendation letters	N/A	Not required
High school transcript	N/A	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$17,496	$42,620
Average net price	$11,916	$27,891
Tuition	$6,840	$21,663
Room & board		Room/dormitory: $6,150 Meal plan: $4,560
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	78.0% Average amount $5,082	89.0% Average amount $12,431
Students receiving federal student loan	36.0% Average amount $8,334	52.0% Average amount $5,619
Students taking out private loans	0.0% Average amount $0	9.0% Average amount $17,351

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	38,969 Men 63.6% Women 36.4%	47,696 Men 43.0% Women 57.0%
Graduate students	9,329 Men 61.1% Women 38.9%	47,013 Men 38.7% Women 61.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	76.0%
International students	1.3%	0.7%
Campus local/setting	Town: Fringe	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	N/A	8,222
First year students are required to live on campus?	N/A	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Virginia North Carolina Pennsylvania Texas Florida

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Law Enforcement and Firefighting Liberal Arts Health Professions Computer and Information Science	Education Business Health Professions Psychology Theology
Students to faculty ratio	22:1	17:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	49.3%	62.1%
Dropout rate	33.6%	30.2%
Transferred out	N/A	5.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $77,507 Year 2: $81,702 Year 3: $86,066 Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $85,935 Year 2: $82,685 Year 3: $84,578 International Relations and National Security Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $72,770 Year 2: $68,666 Year 3: $81,412 International/Global Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $75,015 Year 2: $73,992 Year 3: $80,757 Homeland Security (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $66,045 Year 2: $71,295 Year 3: $73,219 Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,468 Year 2: $60,192 Year 3: $69,785 Fire Protection (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,979 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $69,285 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $67,224 Year 2: $66,728 Year 3: $68,822 Public Administration (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $60,442 Year 2: $63,749 Year 3: $67,674 International/Global Studies (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $63,997 Year 3: $64,432	Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $84,316 Year 2: $62,012 Year 3: $91,964 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $80,385 Year 2: $80,964 Year 3: $87,831 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $52,657 Year 2: $68,219 Year 3: $77,205 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,410 Year 2: $72,022 Year 3: $73,900 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,556 Year 2: $51,106 Year 3: $65,313 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,731 Year 2: $62,936 Year 3: $64,580 Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,576 Year 2: $57,705 Year 3: $62,807 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $60,423 Year 2: $57,714 Year 3: $62,225 Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: $40,885 Year 2: $56,415 Year 3: $62,169 Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $58,240 Year 2: $59,895 Year 3: $61,052

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