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  <xs:element id="apei_LeaseLiabilityCurrent" abstract="false" name="LeaseLiabilityCurrent" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="instant" xbrli:balance="credit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_LeaseLiabilityNoncurrent" abstract="false" name="LeaseLiabilityNoncurrent" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="instant" xbrli:balance="credit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_GainLossOnExtinguishmentOfDebtCashImpact" abstract="false" name="GainLossOnExtinguishmentOfDebtCashImpact" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" xbrli:balance="credit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_IncreaseDecreaseInOperatingLeasesNet" abstract="false" name="IncreaseDecreaseInOperatingLeasesNet" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" xbrli:balance="credit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_UnauditedInterimConsolidatedFinancialInformationPolicyTextBlock" abstract="false" name="UnauditedInterimConsolidatedFinancialInformationPolicyTextBlock" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:textBlockItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_AssetsHeldForSalePolicyTextBlock" abstract="false" name="AssetsHeldForSalePolicyTextBlock" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:textBlockItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_NumberOfInstitutions" abstract="false" name="NumberOfInstitutions" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:integerItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_Building1Member" abstract="true" name="Building1Member" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_AmericanPublicUniversitySystemSegmentMember" abstract="true" name="AmericanPublicUniversitySystemSegmentMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_DisposalGroupPeriodExpectedForSalesToFinalize" abstract="false" name="DisposalGroupPeriodExpectedForSalesToFinalize" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:durationItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_AssetHeldForSaleSalesPrice" abstract="false" name="AssetHeldForSaleSalesPrice" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="instant" xbrli:balance="credit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_AssetsHeldForSaleEstimatedCostToSell" abstract="false" name="AssetsHeldForSaleEstimatedCostToSell" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="instant" xbrli:balance="debit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardAcceleratedServicePeriod" abstract="false" name="SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardAcceleratedServicePeriod" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:durationItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_InstructionalCostsAndExpensesMember" abstract="true" name="InstructionalCostsAndExpensesMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_IncentiveBasedCompensationPlanMember" abstract="true" name="IncentiveBasedCompensationPlanMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_MilitarySegmentMember" abstract="true" name="MilitarySegmentMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_HealthSegmentMember" abstract="true" name="HealthSegmentMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_InstructionalServicesNetOfGrantsAndScholarshipsMember" abstract="true" name="InstructionalServicesNetOfGrantsAndScholarshipsMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_GraduationFeesMember" abstract="true" name="GraduationFeesMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_TextbookAndOtherCourseMaterialsMember" abstract="true" name="TextbookAndOtherCourseMaterialsMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_OtherFeesMember" abstract="true" name="OtherFeesMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_CoursesInProgressMember" abstract="true" name="CoursesInProgressMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_FutureCoursesMember" abstract="true" name="FutureCoursesMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_LesseeOperatingLeaseExtensionTerm" abstract="false" name="LesseeOperatingLeaseExtensionTerm" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:durationItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_NumberOfCampuses" abstract="false" name="NumberOfCampuses" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:integerItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_NumberOfStates" abstract="false" name="NumberOfStates" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:integerItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_FinanceLeaseLiabilityInterestRate" abstract="false" name="FinanceLeaseLiabilityInterestRate" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="instant" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:percentItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_LongTermAbstract" abstract="true" name="LongTermAbstract" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:stringItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_LeaseLiability" abstract="false" name="LeaseLiability" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="instant" xbrli:balance="credit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_RasmussenUniversitySegmentMember" abstract="true" name="RasmussenUniversitySegmentMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_HondrosCollegeOfNursingSegmentMember" abstract="true" name="HondrosCollegeOfNursingSegmentMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_CreditAgreementMember" abstract="true" name="CreditAgreementMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_TermLoanMember" abstract="true" name="TermLoanMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_SeniorSecuredTermLoanFacilityMember" abstract="true" name="SeniorSecuredTermLoanFacilityMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_SubfacilityForSwingLineLoansMember" abstract="true" name="SubfacilityForSwingLineLoansMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_FirstThreeQuarterlyPaymentsMember" abstract="true" name="FirstThreeQuarterlyPaymentsMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_FollowingEightQuarterlyPaymentsMember" abstract="true" name="FollowingEightQuarterlyPaymentsMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_FinalEightQuarterlyPaymentsMember" abstract="true" name="FinalEightQuarterlyPaymentsMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_DebtInstrumentCovenantMaximumCashAndCashEquivalentsUsedToCalculateNetLeverageRatio" abstract="false" name="DebtInstrumentCovenantMaximumCashAndCashEquivalentsUsedToCalculateNetLeverageRatio" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="instant" xbrli:balance="credit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_DebtInstrumentCovenantMaximumTotalNetLeverageRatio" abstract="false" name="DebtInstrumentCovenantMaximumTotalNetLeverageRatio" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="instant" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:pureItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_DebtInstrumentCovenantMinimumInterestCoverageRatio" abstract="false" name="DebtInstrumentCovenantMinimumInterestCoverageRatio" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="instant" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:pureItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_DepartmentOfDefenseTuitionAssistanceProgramsMember" abstract="true" name="DepartmentOfDefenseTuitionAssistanceProgramsMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_VeteranEducationBenefitsMember" abstract="true" name="VeteranEducationBenefitsMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_TitleIVProgramsMember" abstract="true" name="TitleIVProgramsMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_CashAndOtherSourcesMember" abstract="true" name="CashAndOtherSourcesMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="apei_ThomasA.BeckettMember" abstract="true" name="ThomasA.BeckettMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
</xs:schema>
