Retention Rate
Each year, American Public University System reports its retention rate to the U.S. Department of Education. These rates measure the percentage of first time, Bachelor’s degree seeking undergraduate students who were still enrolled at American Public University System the following fall semester. Because the majority of American Public University System’s students are transfer students who have previously attended an institution of higher education, this rate only represents approximately less than one percent of the University’s student body in the Fall 2024.
The percentage of students who began their studies in Fall 2024 and were still enrolled in Fall 2025 following the Department of Education method was 100 percent for first-time, full-time Bachelor’s seeking students.
Additionally, the Department of Education requires publication of additional retention measures, specifically for first-time, full-time Associates and Undergraduate Certificate seeking students. Using the same Department of Education methodology, the rate for Associates seeking students was 97 percent and for Undergraduate Certificate seeking students was N/A.
Enrollment Demographics
Fall 2025 Full Time Undergraduate Student Demographics (from IPEDS 2025-2026 reporting)
| Race/Ethnicity | Percent | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Non Resident Alien | 1% | ||
| Hispanic or Latino | 17% | ||
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 1% | ||
| Asian | 2% | ||
| Black or African American | 23% | ||
| Native Hawaiian | 1% | ||
| White | 43% | ||
| Multiple | 5% | ||
| Unknown | 7% | ||
| Gender | Percent | ||
| Male | 54% | ||
| Female | 46% |
Cohort Default Rate
American Public University's latest available (FY2022) cohort default rate, as calculated by the U.S. Department of Education, is N/A.
HEA/HEOA and PELL
PELL Grant Recipients: 63% of full-time, first-time undergraduates in academic year 2023-2024 received the PELL grant. (From College Navigator/IPEDS reporting)
| Calculation of Graduation Rates by Student Demographics | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohort Year 2019 | ||||
| Cohort | Total Exclusions | Total Completers within 150% | Graduation Rate | |
| Overall rates will be displayed on College Navigator | ||||
| Cohort includes only undergraduate first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students. | ||||
| Men | ||||
| Nonresident Alien | 15 | 0 | 13 | 87% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 104 | 0 | 76 | 73% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 2 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
| Asian | 12 | 0 | 5 | 42% |
| Black or African American | 81 | 1 | 54 | 67% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 4 | 0 | 4 | 100% |
| White | 334 | 0 | 197 | 59% |
| Two or more races | 24 | 0 | 12 | 50% |
| Race and Ethnicity Unknown | 35 | 0 | 27 | 77% |
| Total Men | 611 | 0 | 389 | 64% |
| Women | ||||
| Nonresident Alien | 14 | 0 | 7 | 50% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 88 | 0 | 49 | 56% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 3 | 0 | 3 | 100% |
| Asian | 9 | 0 | 4 | 44% |
| Black or African American | 58 | 0 | 33 | 57% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 2 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
| White | 181 | 0 | 100 | 55% |
| Two or more races | 19 | 0 | 9 | 47% |
| Race and Ethnicity Unknown | 18 | 0 | 8 | 44% |
| Total Women | 392 | 0 | 214 | 55% |
| Total (Men & Women) | ||||
| Nonresident Alien | 29 | 0 | 20 | 69% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 192 | 0 | 125 | 65% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 5 | 0 | 4 | 80% |
| Asian | 21 | 0 | 9 | 43% |
| Black or African American | 139 | 1 | 87 | 63% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 6 | 0 | 5 | 83% |
| White | 515 | 0 | 297 | 58% |
| Two or more races | 43 | 0 | 21 | 49% |
| Race and Ethnicity Unknown | 53 | 0 | 35 | 66% |
| Total | 1003 | 0 | 603 | 60% |
| Calculation of Graduation Rates | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohort Year 2019 | |||||
| Cohort | Total Exclusions | Revised Cohort | Total Completers within 150% | Graduation Rate | |
| Cohort includes only undergraduate first-time, full-time degree-seeking students. | |||||
| By Aid Received | |||||
| Pell Grant Recipients | 428 | 0 | 428 | 240 | 56% |
| Stafford Loan (non-Pell) Recipients | 40 | 0 | 40 | 25 | 63% |
| All Others | 535 | 0 | 535 | 338 | 63% |
| Total | 1003 | 0 | 1003 | 603 | 60% |