All of our student staff positions are open to graduate students. All of these positions, with the exception of the Resident Assistant position, pay wages at an hourly rate between $8.25 and $9.65. Students average 10-20 hours a week, depending on the position and the needs of the department.

The Resident Assistant (RA) position is a live-in student staff position. Graduate students are not eligible to live in our residence halls, unless it is as part of their employment as an RA. RAs are responsible for building and providing leadership for a floor of undergraduate students living in our residence halls. Resident Assistants (RAs) receive 10 stipend payments of $250.00 for a total of $2,500.00 for the academic year. RAs also receive a free single room. In order to be eligible to be an RA at American University, all candidates must have at least one full-time semester at AU prior to the start of employment. Therefore, graduate students who did their undergraduate studies at another institution are not able to apply to start in their first semester at American University. You may, however, apply during your first semester at American University to begin in the second semester. Our fall recruitment process for RAs beginning in the spring starts in the beginning of October. Our spring recruitment process for RAs beginning in the fall starts at the end of January.