The average acceptance rate at Portland State over the past 10 years is 92.16%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 90.87%. The acceptance rate at Portland State is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.
The acceptance rate has decreased each year for the past 3 years, indicating increasing selectivity.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 26.05%, and the 2025 yield is 18.21%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 43.65% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of Portland State applicants increased by 2.25% (200 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 44.10% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 90.87%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Portland State 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 18.21%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Portland State. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.
For the 2025 admission cycle, Portland State received approximately 9,077 applications, admitted 8,248 students, and enrolled 1,502 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Portland State 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.
Portland State 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Portland State over the past decade show a consistent pattern of increasing selectivity, with the acceptance rate declining year-over-year for 3 consecutive years. The average acceptance rate over this period is 92.16%, while the most recent rate stands at 90.87%. 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 90.87%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 90.31% and for women is 93.43%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at Portland State have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 85.68% | 82.81% | 87.56% |
| 2016-17 | 89.42% 3.74% |
85.41% 2.60% |
92.11% 4.56% |
| 2017-18 | 92.44% 3.02% |
90.27% 4.86% |
93.80% 1.69% |
| 2018-19 | 90.20% -2.25% |
87.01% -3.26% |
92.16% -1.64% |
| 2019-20 | 95.80% 5.61% |
94.35% 7.34% |
96.64% 4.48% |
| 2020-21 | 95.19% -0.61% |
93.33% -1.02% |
96.25% -0.39% |
| 2021-22 | 98.00% 2.81% |
98.00% 4.66% |
98.99% 2.74% |
| 2022-23 | 93.09% -4.92% |
92.34% -5.66% |
93.61% -5.38% |
| 2023-24 | 90.91% -2.18% |
89.80% -2.54% |
91.69% -1.92% |
| 2024-25 | 90.87% -0.04% |
89.75% -0.05% |
91.49% -0.20% |
| Average | 92.16% | 90.31% | 93.43% |
Portland State has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 32.31% in 2015 to 18.21% in 2025, representing a 43.65% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 26.05%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Portland State from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 43.65% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 32.31% | 33.80% | 31.39% |
| 2016-17 | 31.53% -0.78% |
35.03% 1.23% |
29.36% -2.03% |
| 2017-18 | 30.62% -0.91% |
32.40% -2.62% |
29.54% 0.19% |
| 2018-19 | 30.85% 0.23% |
31.95% -0.46% |
30.20% 0.66% |
| 2019-20 | 25.47% -5.38% |
28.47% -3.48% |
23.77% -6.43% |
| 2020-21 | 23.75% -1.72% |
25.04% -3.42% |
23.04% -0.74% |
| 2021-22 | 26.00% 2.25% |
28.99% 3.94% |
24.00% 0.97% |
| 2022-23 | 22.15% -3.86% |
25.08% -3.90% |
20.22% -3.79% |
| 2023-24 | 19.58% -2.57% |
22.56% -2.53% |
17.52% -2.70% |
| 2024-25 | 18.21% -1.37% |
21.50% -1.05% |
16.17% -1.35% |
| Average | 26.05% | 28.48% | 24.52% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 7,253, the average number of admitted is 6,685, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 1,700.
The number of Portland State applicants increased by 2.25% (200 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 44.10% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Portland State University from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 6,299 | 5,397 | 1,744 |
| 2016-17 | 6,373 1.17% |
5,699 5.60% |
1,797 3.04% |
| 2017-18 | 6,815 6.94% |
6,300 10.55% |
1,929 7.35% |
| 2018-19 | 6,743 -1.06% |
6,082 -3.46% |
1,876 -2.75% |
| 2019-20 | 6,861 1.75% |
6,573 8.07% |
1,674 -10.77% |
| 2020-21 | 6,701 -2.33% |
6,379 -2.95% |
1,515 -9.50% |
| 2021-22 | 6,859 2.36% |
6,722 5.38% |
1,748 15.38% |
| 2022-23 | 7,926 15.56% |
7,378 9.76% |
1,634 -6.52% |
| 2023-24 | 8,877 12.00% |
8,070 9.38% |
1,580 -3.30% |
| 2024-25 | 9,077 2.25% |
8,248 2.21% |
1,502 -4.94% |
| Average | 7,253 | 6,685 | 1,700 |
The following table compares Portland State University' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland State University | 90.91% | 90.87% | -0.04% |
| The University of Montana | 95.86% | 95.60% | 0.27% |
| Southern Utah University | 81.79% | 80.47% | 1.64% |
| Northern Arizona University | 89.61% | 90.95% | -1.47% |
| Montana State University | 82.14% | 86.83% | -5.40% |
| Weber State University | - | - | - |
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