Acceptance Rate and Admission Trends for Iowa Colleges

There are 38 active four-years colleges and universities in Iowa - 3 public and 35 private schools. The 2023 average acceptance rate of the 4-year colleges in Iowa is 78.81% - 86,201 students accepted out of total 112,240.

Compared to the acceptance rate of 10 years ago, the rate becomes higher from 66.24% to 78.81%. The Iowa Colleges' yield, also known as enrollment rate, is 28.38% and the yield is lower than 39.09%, rate of 10 years ago.

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Acceptance Rate Changes

The average acceptance rate over the last 10 years is 71.07% where the current academic year rate is 78.81% at Iowa Colleges. By gender, men students' acceptance rate is 70.27% and women students' rate is 72.35%. The next table and chart illustrate the acceptance rates changes at Iowa Colleges over the past 11 years (2012-2023).

Year	Total	Men	Women
Year	2012-13	66.24%	66.79%	68.04%
2013-14	68.08% 1.84%	69.17% 0.88%	68.92% 0.88%
2014-15	69.23% 1.15%	67.92% 1.41%	70.33% 1.41%
2015-16	70.08% 0.85%	67.87% 1.41%	71.74% 1.41%
2016-17	67.27% -2.81%	66.75% -3.38%	68.37% -3.38%
2017-18	68.43% 1.16%	68.78% 0.97%	69.34% 0.97%
2018-19	73.15% 4.72%	70.92% 5.19%	74.53% 5.19%
2019-20	69.29% -3.87%	70.86% -5.28%	69.25% -5.28%
2020-21	73.81% 4.52%	71.88% 6.14%	75.40% 6.14%
2021-22	77.39% 3.58%	74.91% 3.98%	79.37% 3.98%
2022-23	78.81% 1.42%	77.12% 1.17%	80.55% 1.17%
Average	71.07%	70.27%	72.35%

Iowa Colleges Acceptance Rate Changes Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

The average admission yield of the last 12 years is 32.56% where the current academic year yield is 28.38%. 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 Iowa Colleges from 2012 to 2023.

Year	Total	Men	Women
2012-13	39.09%	38.29%	37.44%
2013-14	37.65% -1.44%	36.81% -0.47%	36.97% -0.47%
2014-15	39.02% 1.37%	40.57% 1.54%	38.51% 1.54%
2015-16	37.34% -1.68%	37.14% -1.77%	36.74% -1.77%
2016-17	32.88% -4.47%	32.49% -4.57%	32.17% -4.57%
2017-18	31.43% -1.44%	33.77% -3.40%	28.77% -3.40%
2018-19	27.37% -4.07%	27.51% -1.34%	27.43% -1.34%
2019-20	27.02% -0.34%	25.53% -0.50%	26.93% -0.50%
2020-21	29.35% 2.33%	26.53% 2.16%	29.09% 2.16%
2021-22	28.65% -0.70%	28.00% -1.16%	27.92% -1.16%
2022-23	28.38% -0.27%	27.66% 0.65%	28.57% 0.65%
Average	32.56%	32.21%	31.87%

Iowa Colleges Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes Chart

Applicants, Admitted, and Enrolled Headcount Changes

The average number of applicants is 110,496, the average number of admitted is 80,503, and the average number of enrolled students is 20,294 over the last 10 years. The number of applicants to Iowa Colleges decreased by -4.78% (5,633 applicants) compared to last year. The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Iowa Colleges from 2012 to 2023.

Year	Applicants	Admitted	Enrolled
2012-13	84,865	61,098	19,364
2013-14	90,323 5,458	66,118 429	19,793 429
2014-15	102,118 11,795	74,542 1,186	20,979 1,186
2015-16	108,123 6,005	77,115 562	21,541 562
2016-17	119,780 11,657	84,315 312	21,853 312
2017-18	121,096 1,316	87,301 -841	21,012 -841
2018-19	122,458 1,362	88,081 -292	20,720 -292
2019-20	118,845 -3,613	85,561 -815	19,905 -815
2020-21	117,732 -1,113	86,991 -1,022	18,883 -1,022
2021-22	117,873 141	88,215 564	19,447 564
2022-23	112,240 -5,633	86,201 285	19,732 285
Average	110,496	80,503	20,294

Iowa Colleges Applicants Trends Chart

Most Searched Iowa Colleges (last 30 days)

Undergraduate

University of Iowa Public, four-years | Iowa City
Cornell College Private, four-years | Mount Vernon
Iowa State University Public, four-years | Ames
Grinnell College Private, four-years | Grinnell
University of Northern Iowa Public, four-years | Cedar Falls
Palmer College of Chiropractic Private, four-years | Davenport
Drake University Private, four-years | Des Moines
Simpson College Private, four-years | Indianola
Grand View University Private, four-years | Des Moines
Luther College Private, four-years | Decorah

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Graduate

Saint Ambrose University Private, four-years | Davenport
Briar Cliff University Private, four-years | Sioux City
University of Iowa Public, four-years | Iowa City
Graceland University-Lamoni Private, four-years | Lamoni
Allen College Private, four-years | Waterloo
Loras College Private, four-years | Dubuque
Maharishi International University Private, four-years | Fairfield
Mercy College of Health Sciences Private, four-years | Des Moines
Mount Mercy University Private, four-years | Cedar Rapids
Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center Private, four-years | Des Moines

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Online Schools

Upper Iowa University Private, four-years | Fayette
Maharishi International University Private, four-years | Fairfield
Waldorf University Private, four-years | Forest City
William Penn University Private, four-years | Oskaloosa
University of Iowa Public, four-years | Iowa City
Graceland University-Lamoni Private, four-years | Lamoni
Iowa State University Public, four-years | Ames
Kirkwood Community College Public, 2-4 years | Cedar Rapids
Loras College Private, four-years | Dubuque
Drake University Private, four-years | Des Moines

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Technical Colleges

American Hair Academy Private, 2-4 years | Mt. Pleasant
Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines Private, 2-4 years | Des Moines
Iowa School of Beauty-Marshalltown Private, 2-4 years | Marshalltown
Carlson College of Massage Therapy Private, Less than 2-years | Anamosa
Indian Hills Community College Public, 2-4 years | Ottumwa
Capri College-Cedar Rapids Private, 2-4 years | Cedar Rapids
Kirkwood Community College Public, 2-4 years | Cedar Rapids
Des Moines Area Community College Public, 2-4 years | Ankeny
Western Iowa Tech Community College Public, 2-4 years | Sioux City
Aveda Institute-Des Moines Private, 2-4 years | West Des Moines

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