Acceptance Rate and Admission Trends for California Colleges

There are 308 active four-years colleges and universities in California - 54 public and 254 private schools. The 2023 average acceptance rate of the 4-year colleges in California is 64.33% - 805,927 students accepted out of total 1,896,058.

Compared to the acceptance rate of 10 years ago, the rate becomes higher from 60.39% to 64.33%. The California Colleges' yield, also known as enrollment rate, is 33.46% and the yield is lower than 38.87%, rate of 10 years ago.

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Acceptance Rate Changes

The average acceptance rate over the last 10 years is 60.57% where the current academic year rate is 64.33% at California Colleges. By gender, men students' acceptance rate is 59.03% and women students' rate is 61.35%. The next table and chart illustrate the acceptance rates changes at California Colleges over the past 11 years (2012-2023).

Year	Total	Men	Women
Year	2012-13	60.39%	58.93%	60.92%
2013-14	60.40% 0.02%	59.56% -0.49%	60.44% -0.49%
2014-15	59.95% -0.45%	57.63% -0.25%	60.19% -0.25%
2015-16	58.99% -0.96%	57.03% -0.66%	59.53% -0.66%
2016-17	58.73% -0.26%	56.85% -0.03%	59.50% -0.03%
2017-18	58.82% 0.09%	57.51% 0.65%	60.14% 0.65%
2018-19	59.09% 0.28%	58.32% -0.18%	59.96% -0.18%
2019-20	59.61% 0.52%	58.47% 1.36%	61.32% 1.36%
2020-21	62.11% 2.50%	60.83% 0.61%	61.93% 0.61%
2021-22	63.90% 1.79%	61.99% 2.80%	64.73% 2.80%
2022-23	64.33% 0.42%	62.18% 1.52%	66.24% 1.52%
Average	60.57%	59.03%	61.35%

California Colleges Acceptance Rate Changes Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

The average admission yield of the last 12 years is 36.02% where the current academic year yield is 33.46%. The yield, also known as enrollment rate is the percentage of admitted students who finally enrolled. The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at California Colleges from 2012 to 2023.

Year	Total	Men	Women
2012-13	38.87%	40.08%	37.10%
2013-14	36.50% -2.37%	38.19% -1.98%	35.12% -1.98%
2014-15	37.42% 0.92%	40.64% -1.01%	34.11% -1.01%
2015-16	36.96% -0.46%	37.99% 0.93%	35.05% 0.93%
2016-17	38.14% 1.18%	39.00% -0.01%	35.04% -0.01%
2017-18	37.96% -0.18%	38.36% 2.01%	37.05% 2.01%
2018-19	36.93% -1.03%	40.10% -2.10%	34.95% -2.10%
2019-20	33.32% -3.60%	35.05% -3.07%	31.87% -3.07%
2020-21	34.82% 1.49%	34.43% 0.88%	32.76% 0.88%
2021-22	31.83% -2.99%	34.35% -2.65%	30.11% -2.65%
2022-23	33.46% 1.63%	34.92% 1.41%	31.52% 1.41%
Average	36.02%	37.55%	34.06%

California Colleges Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes Chart

Applicants, Admitted, and Enrolled Headcount Changes

The average number of applicants is 1,542,798, the average number of admitted is 668,975, and the average number of enrolled students is 137,914 over the last 10 years. The number of applicants to California Colleges increased by 7.12% (125,960 applicants) compared to last year. The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at California Colleges from 2012 to 2023.

Year	Applicants	Admitted	Enrolled
2012-13	1,120,770	518,743	124,707
2013-14	1,215,095 94,325	541,699 1,240	125,947 1,240
2014-15	1,376,101 161,006	593,539 9,684	135,631 9,684
2015-16	1,450,832 74,731	598,237 919	136,550 919
2016-17	1,522,756 71,924	651,332 3,465	140,015 3,465
2017-18	1,578,897 56,141	662,235 3,772	143,787 3,772
2018-19	1,699,460 120,563	676,914 1,608	145,395 1,608
2019-20	1,713,287 13,827	728,518 -2,957	142,438 -2,957
2020-21	1,627,424 -85,863	784,158 -6,286	136,152 -6,286
2021-22	1,770,098 142,674	797,423 6,370	142,522 6,370
2022-23	1,896,058 125,960	805,927 1,385	143,907 1,385
Average	1,542,798	668,975	137,914

California Colleges Applicants Trends Chart

Most Searched California Colleges (last 30 days)

Undergraduate

Claremont Lincoln University Private, four-years | Claremont
University of Phoenix-California Private, four-years | Ontario
California Health Sciences University Private, four-years | Clovis
University of West Los Angeles Private, four-years | Inglewood
High Tech High Graduate School of Education Private, four-years | San Diego
Carrington College-Administrative Office Private, 2-4 years | Sacramento
California Career Institute Private, 2-4 years | Anaheim
ABCO Technology Private, 2-4 years | Inglewood
J D Academy of Salon and Spa Private, Less than 2-years | Danville
California Intercontinental University Private, four-years | Irvine

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Graduate

American University of Health Sciences Private, four-years | Signal Hill
Soka University of America Private, four-years | Aliso Viejo
California State University-Chancellors Office Public, four-years | Long Beach
Berkeley School of Theology Private, four-years | Berkeley
California Aeronautical University Private, four-years | Bakersfield
Advance Beauty College Private, Less than 2-years | Garden Grove
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Public, four-years | Pomona
American Beauty College Private, Less than 2-years | West Covina
Los Angeles Film School Private, four-years | Hollywood
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Online Schools

American University of Health Sciences Private, four-years | Signal Hill
Soka University of America Private, four-years | Aliso Viejo
California State University-Chancellors Office Public, four-years | Long Beach
Berkeley School of Theology Private, four-years | Berkeley
California Aeronautical University Private, four-years | Bakersfield
Advance Beauty College Private, Less than 2-years | Garden Grove
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Public, four-years | Pomona
American Beauty College Private, Less than 2-years | West Covina
Los Angeles Film School Private, four-years | Hollywood
Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Private, four-years | Los Angeles

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Technical Colleges

Claremont Lincoln University Private, four-years | Claremont
University of Phoenix-California Private, four-years | Ontario
California Health Sciences University Private, four-years | Clovis
University of West Los Angeles Private, four-years | Inglewood
High Tech High Graduate School of Education Private, four-years | San Diego
Carrington College-Administrative Office Private, 2-4 years | Sacramento
California Career Institute Private, 2-4 years | Anaheim
ABCO Technology Private, 2-4 years | Inglewood
J D Academy of Salon and Spa Private, Less than 2-years | Danville
California Intercontinental University Private, four-years | Irvine

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