The average acceptance rate at Brown over the past 10 years is 7.14%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 5.39%. Brown maintains an extremely selective admissions process, making it very difficult for applicants to be admitted.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 61.59%, and the 2025 yield is 65.16%. Overall, the yield has increased by 16.41% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of Brown applicants decreased by 4.70% (2,412 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 60.89% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 5.39%, representing an increasingly selective admissions process. This indicates that Brown 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 65.16%. This rising yield trend demonstrates that Brown is increasingly successful at converting admitted students into enrolled students. An increasing yield rate suggests stronger student preference for Brown and indicates that the institution's admitted class quality and perceived value continue to improve.
For the 2025 admission cycle, Brown received approximately 48,904 applications, admitted 2,638 students, and enrolled 1,719 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Brown 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.
Brown 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Brown over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 7.14%, while the most recent rate stands at 5.39%. 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 5.39%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 8.67% and for women is 6.10%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at Brown have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 9.49% | 10.98% | 8.48% |
| 2016-17 | 9.31% -0.19% |
11.01% 0.03% |
8.18% -0.30% |
| 2017-18 | 8.49% -0.81% |
9.71% -1.30% |
7.69% -0.50% |
| 2018-19 | 7.67% -0.82% |
9.41% -0.30% |
6.51% -1.17% |
| 2019-20 | 7.07% -0.60% |
8.71% -0.71% |
5.93% -0.58% |
| 2020-21 | 7.67% 0.60% |
9.26% 0.56% |
6.57% 0.63% |
| 2021-22 | 6.00% -1.67% |
7.00% -2.26% |
5.00% -1.57% |
| 2022-23 | 5.06% -0.94% |
6.73% -0.27% |
4.06% -0.94% |
| 2023-24 | 5.23% 0.18% |
6.86% 0.13% |
4.22% 0.16% |
| 2024-25 | 5.39% 0.16% |
6.99% 0.13% |
4.38% 0.15% |
| Average | 7.14% | 8.67% | 6.10% |
Brown has demonstrated an improvement in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has increased from 55.98% in 2015 to 65.16% in 2025, representing a 16.41% increase. The 10-year average yield stands at 61.59%, reflecting strengthening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Brown from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has increased by 16.41% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 55.98% | 54.74% | 57.07% |
| 2016-17 | 55.77% -0.21% |
54.90% 0.16% |
56.54% -0.52% |
| 2017-18 | 58.91% 3.13% |
58.85% 3.94% |
58.96% 2.41% |
| 2018-19 | 60.93% 2.02% |
59.02% 0.18% |
62.46% 3.51% |
| 2019-20 | 60.81% -0.11% |
59.71% 0.69% |
61.93% -0.53% |
| 2020-21 | 62.23% 1.41% |
60.11% 0.41% |
64.29% 2.36% |
| 2021-22 | 66.00% 3.77% |
67.04% 6.92% |
64.96% 0.68% |
| 2022-23 | 67.02% 1.02% |
64.94% -2.10% |
69.08% 4.11% |
| 2023-24 | 63.11% -3.91% |
62.74% -2.20% |
63.47% -5.60% |
| 2024-25 | 65.16% 2.06% |
64.48% 1.74% |
65.93% 2.46% |
| Average | 61.59% | 60.65% | 62.47% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 40,385, the average number of admitted is 2,763, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 1,698.
The number of Brown applicants decreased by 4.70% (2,412 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 60.89% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Brown University from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 30,396 | 2,885 | 1,615 |
| 2016-17 | 32,390 6.56% |
3,014 4.47% |
1,681 4.09% |
| 2017-18 | 32,723 1.03% |
2,779 -7.80% |
1,637 -2.62% |
| 2018-19 | 35,437 8.29% |
2,718 -2.20% |
1,656 1.16% |
| 2019-20 | 38,674 9.13% |
2,733 0.55% |
1,662 0.36% |
| 2020-21 | 36,793 -4.86% |
2,822 3.26% |
1,756 5.66% |
| 2021-22 | 46,568 26.57% |
2,794 -0.99% |
1,844 5.01% |
| 2022-23 | 50,649 8.76% |
2,562 -8.30% |
1,717 -6.89% |
| 2023-24 | 51,316 1.32% |
2,686 4.84% |
1,695 -1.28% |
| 2024-25 | 48,904 -4.70% |
2,638 -1.79% |
1,719 1.42% |
| Average | 40,385 | 2,763 | 1,698 |
The following table compares Brown University' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University | 5.23% | 5.39% | 3.06% |
| Princeton University | 4.62% | 4.50% | 2.67% |
| Cornell University | 8.76% | 8.16% | 7.35% |
| University of Pennsylvania | 5.40% | 5.87% | -8.01% |
| Yale University | 3.87% | 4.50% | -14.00% |
| Dartmouth College | 5.40% | 6.23% | -13.32% |
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