Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at Cal State Fullerton

The average acceptance rate at Cal State Fullerton over the past 10 years is 60.25%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 90.52%. Compared to the previous year, it became slightly easier to gain admission to Cal State Fullerton in 2025.

The acceptance rate has increased each year for the past 3 years, indicating decreasing selectivity.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 18.57%, and the 2025 yield is 14.21%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 43.47% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of Cal State Fullerton applicants increased by 10.22% (4,968 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 28.01% overall.

Trends by Subject

Key Takeaways: Cal State Fullerton Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 90.52%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Cal State Fullerton is admitting a higher proportion of applicants, which may indicate either an increase in application quality or a strategic enrollment decision by the institution.

Yield Rate & Enrollment Patterns

The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 14.21%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Cal State Fullerton. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.

Application Volume & Admission Trends

For the 2025 admission cycle, Cal State Fullerton received approximately 53,559 applications, admitted 48,482 students, and enrolled 6,887 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Cal State Fullerton 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.

Acceptance Rate Changes

Cal State Fullerton 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Cal State Fullerton over the past decade show a pattern of decreasing selectivity, with the acceptance rate rising year-over-year for 3 consecutive years. The average acceptance rate over this period is 60.25%, while the most recent rate stands at 90.52%. 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 90.52%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 57.04% and for women is 62.67%.

The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at Cal State Fullerton have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 41.86% 41.02% 42.47%
2016-17 48.23%
6.37%
44.41%
3.39%
50.97%
8.50%
2017-18 45.72%
-2.51%
40.80%
-3.60%
49.28%
-1.69%
2018-19 43.41%
-2.31%
39.48%
-1.32%
46.35%
-2.93%
2019-20 52.69%
9.28%
49.15%
9.67%
55.17%
8.82%
2020-21 67.62%
14.94%
62.66%
13.51%
71.13%
15.96%
2021-22 59.00%
-8.62%
55.00%
-7.66%
63.00%
-8.13%
2022-23 66.72%
7.72%
63.63%
8.63%
68.92%
5.92%
2023-24 86.74%
20.02%
85.52%
21.88%
87.63%
18.71%
2024-25 90.52%
3.78%
88.74%
3.23%
91.80%
4.17%
Average 60.25% 57.04% 62.67%
California State University-Fullerton Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

Cal State Fullerton has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 25.13% in 2015 to 14.21% in 2025, representing a 43.47% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 18.57%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Cal State Fullerton from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 43.47% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 25.13% 26.80% 23.95%
2016-17 20.63%
-4.50%
22.21%
-4.60%
19.64%
-4.31%
2017-18 21.19%
0.56%
21.60%
-0.61%
20.94%
1.30%
2018-19 19.75%
-1.43%
21.73%
0.14%
18.49%
-2.45%
2019-20 18.10%
-1.65%
19.09%
-2.64%
17.48%
-1.00%
2020-21 17.65%
-0.45%
17.16%
-1.93%
17.96%
0.48%
2021-22 16.00%
-1.65%
16.00%
-1.16%
15.00%
-2.96%
2022-23 16.23%
0.23%
17.10%
1.10%
15.66%
0.67%
2023-24 16.77%
0.54%
17.60%
0.50%
16.19%
0.53%
2024-25 14.21%
-2.57%
15.34%
-2.26%
13.42%
-2.78%
Average 18.57% 19.46% 17.87%
California State University-Fullerton enrollment rate trends chart showing historical yield changes from 2015 to 2025

Applicants, Admitted, and Enrolled Headcount Changes

Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 47,515, the average number of admitted is 28,916, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 5,137.

The number of Cal State Fullerton applicants increased by 10.22% (4,968 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 28.01% overall.

The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at California State University-Fullerton from 2015 to 2025.

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 41,841 17,515 4,401
2016-17 44,493
6.34%
21,459
22.52%
4,426
0.57%
2017-18 45,808
2.96%
20,943
-2.40%
4,437
0.25%
2018-19 51,415
12.24%
22,317
6.56%
4,408
-0.65%
2019-20 50,105
-2.55%
26,398
18.29%
4,778
8.39%
2020-21 45,449
-9.29%
30,733
16.42%
5,425
13.54%
2021-22 45,140
-0.68%
26,633
-13.34%
4,261
-21.46%
2022-23 48,748
7.99%
32,527
22.13%
5,280
23.91%
2023-24 48,591
-0.32%
42,149
29.58%
7,070
33.90%
2024-25 53,559
10.22%
48,482
15.03%
6,887
-2.59%
Average 47,515 28,916 5,137
California State University-Fullerton - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares California State University-Fullerton' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
California State University-Fullerton86.74%90.52% 4.36%
California State University-Long Beach46.27%47.12% -1.80%
California State University-Northridge93.45%93.15% 0.32%
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo31.32%29.75% 5.28%
University of California-Davis41.83%41.63% 0.48%
University of California-Irvine28.57%25.57% 11.73%

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