American Military University (AMU) is an online, for-profit university in Charles Town, West Virginia, and one of the two brands of American Public University System (APUS), which had 50,715 students in fall 2024. Its pros are low tuition that fits military tuition assistance, fully online courses built for service members, open enrollment and Higher Learning Commission accreditation; its cons are for-profit ownership, few full-time faculty relative to enrollment, and bachelor’s graduation rates below half.
Below are the pros and cons in detail, with cost, outcome and accreditation figures from the federal College Navigator database (which reports AMU under American Public University System), so you can judge whether AMU is a good school for you.
American Military University at a Glance
- Type: private for-profit online university, part of APUS, which is wholly owned by American Public Education, Inc.
- Founded: 1991 as American Military University; classes began in January 1993, and all undergraduate programs moved fully online in 1999.
- Programs: about 200 degree and certificate programs, from associate to doctoral level, across APUS’s schools.
- Enrollment (fall 2024, APUS): 50,715 total, 41,620 undergraduate; 91% of undergraduates study part-time and 78% are 25 or older.
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 25 to 1.
- Admission: open enrollment.
Pros: What AMU Does Well
- Built for service members. AMU was founded to meet the educational needs of military personnel, including specialised areas such as counterterrorism and military intelligence. About 56% of APUS students reported active-duty military service when they enrolled.
- Low tuition. College Navigator lists tuition and fees of $8,400 for 2024-2025, and the average net price after grants was $12,260 in 2023-2024.
- Works with military benefits. About 55,000 service members use military tuition assistance at APUS schools and another 16,702 use GI Bill benefits.
- Fully online and part-time friendly. Every undergraduate studies online, and most take courses part-time around deployments, shifts or jobs.
- Regional accreditation. APUS has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 2006.
- Relatively low borrowing. 38% of full-time first-time students took out federal loans in 2023-2024.
Cons: What to Weigh Before You Enroll at AMU
- For-profit ownership. AMU is owned by a publicly traded company, American Public Education, Inc., which also owns Rasmussen University and Hondros College of Nursing.
- Bachelor’s completion is under half. Of first-time bachelor’s students who began in 2018-19, 35% finished in four years and 47% in six. These federal rates cover only a small group of first-time, full-time students; most AMU students are part-time adults.
- Mostly part-time faculty. APUS employs about 410 full-time faculty members and 1,800 part-time faculty members, and full-time professors do not have tenure.
- No campus experience. There is no campus housing or traditional student life; everything happens online.
- Name recognition. Outside military and government circles, employers may know AMU less well than a state university’s online programs, so compare options if you plan a civilian career.
What AMU Costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, 2024-2025 | $8,400 |
| Total estimated cost living off campus (not with family), 2024-2025 | $20,384 |
| Average net price, 2023-2024 | $12,260 |
| Average grant for first-time students, 2023-2024 | $6,508 |
For service members, the out-of-pocket cost can be much lower once tuition assistance or GI Bill benefits are applied; check with your education office before enrolling.
Is American Military University a Good School? What the Numbers Say
For active-duty service members, veterans and people in public-safety or government careers who want an accredited, low-cost online degree, AMU is a reasonable, legitimate option, and it is designed around their schedules and benefits.
The trade-offs are for-profit ownership, a mostly part-time faculty and bachelor’s completion rates under 50% in the federal data. Civilians should compare AMU with public universities’ online programs, and everyone should check how credits would transfer before enrolling.
Who Accredits American Military University?
AMU is accredited through American Public University System by the Higher Learning Commission, with accreditation dating from 2006, and College Navigator lists the next review for 2031. Before that, APUS was accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission from 1995 until it resigned that accreditation in 2012.
Who AMU Suits, and Who Should Look Elsewhere
A good fit for: active-duty military, National Guard and reserve members, veterans using the GI Bill, and adults in intelligence, security, emergency management or criminal justice fields.
Worth comparing alternatives if: you want a traditional campus, prefer a nonprofit or public university, or are planning a civilian career where a well-known state university name matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is American Military University legit? Yes. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission through American Public University System.
- Is AMU only for military students? No. It was founded for military personnel, but civilians can enroll; APUS also runs American Public University for civilians.
- Is AMU a for-profit school? Yes. It is owned by American Public Education, Inc.
- Is AMU fully online? Yes. All undergraduates study online.