The average acceptance rate at Bates over the past 10 years is 16.75%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 13.32%. Bates is highly selective, and gaining admission is challenging for most applicants.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 42.60%, and the 2025 yield is 36.53%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 13.03% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of Bates applicants increased by 12.20% (1,090 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 77.44% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 13.32%, representing an increasingly selective admissions process. This indicates that Bates has become more competitive over the past decade, as the institution receives a growing number of applications while maintaining or reducing the number of admitted students.
The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 36.53%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Bates. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.
For the 2025 admission cycle, Bates received approximately 10,027 applications, admitted 1,336 students, and enrolled 488 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Bates 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.
Bates 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Bates over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 16.75%, while the most recent rate stands at 13.32%. 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 13.32%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 17.56% and for women is 16.24%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at Bates have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 21.78% | 23.26% | 20.55% |
| 2016-17 | 22.65% 0.86% |
24.92% 1.66% |
20.86% 0.31% |
| 2017-18 | 21.93% -0.71% |
25.04% 0.13% |
19.56% -1.30% |
| 2018-19 | 17.79% -4.15% |
20.34% -4.70% |
15.77% -3.79% |
| 2019-20 | 12.14% -5.65% |
12.32% -8.02% |
11.99% -3.78% |
| 2020-21 | 14.10% 1.96% |
14.19% 1.87% |
14.02% 2.03% |
| 2021-22 | 17.00% 2.90% |
16.99% 2.80% |
18.00% 3.98% |
| 2022-23 | 13.74% -3.25% |
13.57% -3.41% |
13.88% -4.12% |
| 2023-24 | 13.02% -0.72% |
12.74% -0.83% |
13.28% -0.60% |
| 2024-25 | 13.32% 0.30% |
12.21% -0.53% |
14.46% 1.18% |
| Average | 16.75% | 17.56% | 16.24% |
Bates has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 42.00% in 2015 to 36.53% in 2025, representing a 13.03% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 42.60%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Bates from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 13.03% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 42.00% | 41.83% | 42.16% |
| 2016-17 | 39.90% -2.10% |
39.39% -2.44% |
40.38% -1.77% |
| 2017-18 | 42.37% 2.47% |
43.85% 4.46% |
40.92% 0.53% |
| 2018-19 | 38.19% -4.18% |
40.14% -3.70% |
36.19% -4.73% |
| 2019-20 | 50.00% 11.81% |
51.22% 11.07% |
48.99% 12.81% |
| 2020-21 | 44.15% -5.85% |
46.52% -4.70% |
42.21% -6.78% |
| 2021-22 | 43.97% -0.18% |
48.04% 1.53% |
40.03% -2.18% |
| 2022-23 | 45.56% 1.59% |
46.27% -1.77% |
44.98% 4.95% |
| 2023-24 | 43.38% -2.17% |
48.16% 1.88% |
39.23% -5.75% |
| 2024-25 | 36.53% -6.86% |
35.95% -12.21% |
37.02% -2.21% |
| Average | 42.60% | 44.14% | 41.21% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 7,448, the average number of admitted is 1,194, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 505.
The number of Bates applicants increased by 12.20% (1,090 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 77.44% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Bates College from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 5,651 | 1,231 | 517 |
| 2016-17 | 5,356 -5.22% |
1,213 -1.46% |
484 -6.38% |
| 2017-18 | 5,316 -0.75% |
1,166 -3.87% |
494 2.07% |
| 2018-19 | 7,685 44.56% |
1,367 17.24% |
522 5.67% |
| 2019-20 | 8,222 6.99% |
998 -26.99% |
499 -4.41% |
| 2020-21 | 7,696 -6.40% |
1,085 8.72% |
479 -4.01% |
| 2021-22 | 7,319 -4.90% |
1,244 14.65% |
547 14.20% |
| 2022-23 | 8,273 13.03% |
1,137 -8.60% |
518 -5.30% |
| 2023-24 | 8,937 8.03% |
1,164 2.37% |
505 -2.51% |
| 2024-25 | 10,027 12.20% |
1,336 14.78% |
488 -3.37% |
| Average | 7,448 | 1,194 | 505 |
The following table compares Bates College' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bates College | 13.02% | 13.32% | 2.30% |
| Unity Environmental University | - | 81.80% | -100.00% |
| University of New England | 91.63% | 88.84% | 3.14% |
| Husson University | 80.95% | 86.43% | -6.34% |
| Colby College | 7.09% | 6.83% | 3.81% |
| Bowdoin College | 7.13% | 8.02% | -11.10% |
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