Breaking Down the Numbers: Surprising Stats on College Acceptance Rates in the U.S
- Andy Porter
- Feb 6
- 1 min read
When it comes to college admissions, acceptance rates can be surprising—even shocking. While some schools remain highly competitive, others have seen shifts in their selectivity over the years. Understanding these numbers can help students make more informed decisions about where to apply. In this piece, we’ll break down the latest data on college acceptance rates in the U.S., highlighting trends, unexpected findings, and what they mean for prospective students.
The average acceptance rate for U.S. colleges is approximately 58.08% for the academic year 2023-2024. Public institutions have a higher average acceptance rate (63.61%) compared to private institutions (50.70%).
There has been a significant increase in college applications in recent years. For instance, the University of Texas at Austin received a record-breaking 90,000 applications for fall 2025, marking a 24% increase from the previous year.
The following institutions have some of the lowest acceptance rates:
Harvard University: 3.6%
Stanford University: 3.6%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): 4.5%
Princeton University: 4.5%
Yale University: 3.7%
Several public universities have notably high acceptance rates:
Liberty University: 99%
Marshall University: 98%
University of New Mexico: 97%
Kansas State University: 96%
University of Maine: 96%
Increasing Selectivity: Over the past decade, acceptance rates at many top institutions have declined. For example, the average acceptance rate of four-year colleges decreased from 65.65% ten years ago to 58.63% in the 2023-2024 academic year.
The average yield rate (percentage of admitted students who enroll) has also decreased, from 40.50% ten years ago to 32.78% in 2024.
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