The average acceptance rate at American over the past 10 years is 41.06%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 61.96%. Compared to the previous year, it became much easier to gain admission to American in 2025.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 25.17%, and the 2025 yield is 15.62%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 48.78% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of American applicants decreased by 3.45% (613 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 2.62% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 61.96%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that American is admitting a higher proportion of applicants, which may indicate either an increase in application quality or a strategic enrollment decision by the institution.
The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 15.62%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at American. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.
For the 2025 admission cycle, American received approximately 17,173 applications, admitted 10,640 students, and enrolled 1,662 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that American is attracting an increasing number of prospective students over time. This growth in applications typically reflects enhanced institutional visibility, improved marketing initiatives, or increasing perceived value in the higher education market.
American 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at American over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 41.06%, while the most recent rate stands at 61.96%. This data reflects the institution's evolving competitiveness in the higher education admissions landscape.
For the most recent admission cycle (2025), the acceptance rate is 61.96%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 39.52% and for women is 41.95%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at American have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 35.02% | 31.81% | 36.83% |
| 2016-17 | 25.91% -9.10% |
23.66% -8.15% |
27.21% -9.62% |
| 2017-18 | 29.40% 3.49% |
27.64% 3.98% |
30.44% 3.23% |
| 2018-19 | 31.54% 2.14% |
28.99% 1.35% |
32.95% 2.51% |
| 2019-20 | 36.08% 4.54% |
34.11% 5.11% |
37.17% 4.22% |
| 2020-21 | 38.65% 2.57% |
36.87% 2.76% |
39.63% 2.46% |
| 2021-22 | 64.00% 25.35% |
61.00% 24.13% |
66.00% 26.36% |
| 2022-23 | 40.63% -23.37% |
38.04% -22.96% |
41.85% -24.15% |
| 2023-24 | 47.38% 6.75% |
51.69% 13.65% |
45.19% 3.35% |
| 2024-25 | 61.96% 14.58% |
61.36% 9.67% |
62.26% 17.07% |
| Average | 41.06% | 39.52% | 41.95% |
American has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 30.49% in 2015 to 15.62% in 2025, representing a 48.78% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 25.17%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at American from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 48.78% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 30.49% | 32.95% | 29.30% |
| 2016-17 | 33.53% 3.03% |
35.73% 2.78% |
32.42% 3.13% |
| 2017-18 | 32.47% -1.06% |
33.98% -1.75% |
31.66% -0.77% |
| 2018-19 | 29.34% -3.12% |
31.87% -2.11% |
28.11% -3.54% |
| 2019-20 | 26.21% -3.13% |
26.86% -5.01% |
25.89% -2.22% |
| 2020-21 | 20.75% -5.46% |
20.78% -6.07% |
20.73% -5.15% |
| 2021-22 | 19.00% -1.76% |
19.00% -1.78% |
19.00% -1.73% |
| 2022-23 | 22.22% 3.22% |
23.79% 4.79% |
21.70% 2.70% |
| 2023-24 | 22.02% -0.19% |
22.97% -0.82% |
21.48% -0.22% |
| 2024-25 | 15.62% -6.40% |
17.89% -5.08% |
14.43% -7.05% |
| Average | 25.17% | 26.58% | 24.47% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 18,644, the average number of admitted is 7,636, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 1,804.
The number of American applicants decreased by 3.45% (613 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 2.62% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at American University from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 16,735 | 5,860 | 1,787 |
| 2016-17 | 19,325 15.48% |
5,008 -14.54% |
1,679 -6.04% |
| 2017-18 | 18,699 -3.24% |
5,498 9.78% |
1,785 6.31% |
| 2018-19 | 18,984 1.52% |
5,988 8.91% |
1,757 -1.57% |
| 2019-20 | 18,545 -2.31% |
6,691 11.74% |
1,754 -0.17% |
| 2020-21 | 20,036 8.04% |
7,744 15.74% |
1,607 -8.38% |
| 2021-22 | 19,650 -1.93% |
12,576 62.40% |
2,389 48.66% |
| 2022-23 | 19,510 -0.71% |
7,926 -36.98% |
1,761 -26.29% |
| 2023-24 | 17,786 -8.84% |
8,427 6.32% |
1,856 5.39% |
| 2024-25 | 17,173 -3.45% |
10,640 26.26% |
1,662 -10.45% |
| Average | 18,644 | 7,636 | 1,804 |
The following table compares American University' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American University | 47.38% | 61.96% | 30.77% |
| Bucknell University | 28.93% | 32.01% | -9.62% |
| College of the Holy Cross | 17.61% | 21.10% | -16.54% |
| United States Military Academy | - | - | - |
| Boston University | 11.11% | 10.85% | 2.40% |
| Loyola University Maryland | 75.49% | 76.33% | -1.10% |
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