The average acceptance rate at CWU over the past 10 years is 85.91%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 90.62%. The acceptance rate at CWU is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 25.26%, and the 2025 yield is 20.03%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 51.43% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of CWU applicants increased by 30.60% (2,090 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 80.77% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 90.62%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that CWU 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 20.03%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at CWU. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.
For the 2025 admission cycle, CWU received approximately 8,919 applications, admitted 8,082 students, and enrolled 1,619 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that CWU 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.
CWU 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at CWU over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 85.91%, while the most recent rate stands at 90.62%. 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 90.62%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 84.69% and for women is 86.98%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at CWU have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 81.62% | 79.72% | 83.26% |
| 2016-17 | 79.71% -1.91% |
77.83% -1.90% |
81.24% -2.03% |
| 2017-18 | 86.34% 6.63% |
85.21% 7.38% |
87.27% 6.03% |
| 2018-19 | 78.16% -8.18% |
77.76% -7.45% |
78.47% -8.80% |
| 2019-20 | 84.92% 6.76% |
82.99% 5.23% |
86.38% 7.91% |
| 2020-21 | 85.99% 1.07% |
84.67% 1.68% |
86.90% 0.52% |
| 2021-22 | 88.00% 2.01% |
87.00% 2.32% |
90.00% 3.11% |
| 2022-23 | 93.49% 5.49% |
93.28% 6.29% |
93.68% 3.68% |
| 2023-24 | 90.22% -3.28% |
89.15% -4.13% |
91.07% -2.61% |
| 2024-25 | 90.62% 0.40% |
89.25% 0.10% |
91.58% 0.50% |
| Average | 85.91% | 84.69% | 86.98% |
CWU has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 41.25% in 2015 to 20.03% in 2025, representing a 51.43% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 25.26%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at CWU from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 51.43% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 41.25% | 44.80% | 38.29% |
| 2016-17 | 33.05% -8.20% |
35.97% -8.83% |
30.77% -7.52% |
| 2017-18 | 28.74% -4.31% |
31.56% -4.41% |
26.49% -4.29% |
| 2018-19 | 28.29% -0.44% |
32.55% 0.99% |
25.14% -1.35% |
| 2019-20 | 23.22% -5.08% |
26.77% -5.78% |
20.65% -4.49% |
| 2020-21 | 15.11% -8.11% |
18.02% -8.76% |
13.16% -7.48% |
| 2021-22 | 13.99% -1.11% |
18.01% 0.00% |
12.00% -1.16% |
| 2022-23 | 23.53% 9.54% |
27.19% 9.18% |
21.03% 9.03% |
| 2023-24 | 25.45% 1.92% |
29.64% 2.45% |
22.12% 1.10% |
| 2024-25 | 20.03% -5.42% |
21.86% -7.78% |
18.40% -3.73% |
| Average | 25.26% | 28.64% | 22.81% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 8,814, the average number of admitted is 7,564, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 1,777.
The number of CWU applicants increased by 30.60% (2,090 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 80.77% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Central Washington University from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 4,934 | 4,027 | 1,661 |
| 2016-17 | 7,255 47.04% |
5,783 43.61% |
1,911 15.05% |
| 2017-18 | 8,597 18.50% |
7,423 28.36% |
2,133 11.62% |
| 2018-19 | 10,148 18.04% |
7,932 6.86% |
2,244 5.20% |
| 2019-20 | 11,017 8.56% |
9,356 17.95% |
2,172 -3.21% |
| 2020-21 | 13,263 20.39% |
11,405 21.90% |
1,723 -20.67% |
| 2021-22 | 10,767 -18.82% |
9,475 -16.92% |
1,326 -23.04% |
| 2022-23 | 6,409 -40.48% |
5,992 -36.76% |
1,410 6.33% |
| 2023-24 | 6,829 6.55% |
6,161 2.82% |
1,568 11.21% |
| 2024-25 | 8,919 30.60% |
8,082 31.18% |
1,619 3.25% |
| Average | 8,814 | 7,564 | 1,777 |
The following table compares Central Washington University' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Washington University | 90.22% | 90.62% | 0.44% |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 39.15% | 42.53% | -7.95% |
| Washington State University | 86.64% | 85.36% | 1.50% |
| Western Washington University | 93.25% | 91.31% | 2.12% |
| Bellevue College | - | - | - |
| Eastern Washington University | 90.75% | 91.77% | -1.11% |
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