The average acceptance rate at UNCW over the past 10 years is 66.90%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 64.24%. Compared to the previous year, it became much more competitive to gain admission to UNCW in 2025.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 24.75%, and the 2025 yield is 21.02%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 27.73% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of UNCW applicants increased by 17.40% (3,023 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 78.20% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 64.24%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that UNCW 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 21.02%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at UNCW. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.
For the 2025 admission cycle, UNCW received approximately 20,393 applications, admitted 13,101 students, and enrolled 2,754 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that UNCW 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.
UNCW 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at UNCW over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 66.90%, while the most recent rate stands at 64.24%. 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 64.24%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 63.75% and for women is 68.62%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at UNCW have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 60.96% | 61.34% | 60.76% |
| 2016-17 | 71.75% 10.79% |
69.69% 8.36% |
72.88% 12.11% |
| 2017-18 | 66.52% -5.24% |
66.03% -3.67% |
66.78% -6.09% |
| 2018-19 | 61.25% -5.27% |
60.89% -5.14% |
61.46% -5.32% |
| 2019-20 | 65.46% 4.21% |
62.47% 1.58% |
67.17% 5.71% |
| 2020-21 | 67.97% 2.51% |
65.55% 3.08% |
69.31% 2.15% |
| 2021-22 | 68.00% 0.04% |
61.00% -4.55% |
72.00% 2.68% |
| 2022-23 | 68.83% 0.83% |
62.47% 1.46% |
72.39% 0.39% |
| 2023-24 | 74.01% 5.18% |
67.62% 5.15% |
77.31% 4.92% |
| 2024-25 | 64.24% -9.77% |
60.41% -7.21% |
66.17% -11.14% |
| Average | 66.90% | 63.75% | 68.62% |
UNCW has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 29.09% in 2015 to 21.02% in 2025, representing a 27.73% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 24.75%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at UNCW from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 27.73% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 29.09% | 32.82% | 27.15% |
| 2016-17 | 29.67% 0.58% |
33.26% 0.44% |
27.79% 0.64% |
| 2017-18 | 27.62% -2.05% |
28.28% -4.97% |
27.26% -0.54% |
| 2018-19 | 26.90% -0.72% |
29.30% 1.02% |
25.51% -1.75% |
| 2019-20 | 26.93% 0.03% |
27.76% -1.54% |
26.49% 0.98% |
| 2020-21 | 21.85% -5.07% |
23.15% -4.61% |
21.17% -5.32% |
| 2021-22 | 23.00% 1.15% |
23.99% 0.84% |
22.00% 0.83% |
| 2022-23 | 20.42% -2.58% |
22.79% -1.20% |
19.28% -2.72% |
| 2023-24 | 21.01% 0.59% |
22.17% -0.61% |
20.49% 1.21% |
| 2024-25 | 21.02% 0.01% |
23.20% 1.02% |
20.03% -0.45% |
| Average | 24.75% | 26.67% | 23.72% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 14,402, the average number of admitted is 9,653, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 2,322.
The number of UNCW applicants increased by 17.40% (3,023 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 78.20% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at University of North Carolina Wilmington from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 11,444 | 6,976 | 2,029 |
| 2016-17 | 10,443 -8.75% |
7,493 7.41% |
2,223 9.56% |
| 2017-18 | 11,677 11.82% |
7,767 3.66% |
2,145 -3.51% |
| 2018-19 | 13,117 12.33% |
8,034 3.44% |
2,161 0.75% |
| 2019-20 | 13,287 1.30% |
8,697 8.25% |
2,342 8.38% |
| 2020-21 | 13,633 2.60% |
9,266 6.54% |
2,025 -13.54% |
| 2021-22 | 15,792 15.84% |
10,739 15.90% |
2,470 21.98% |
| 2022-23 | 16,860 6.76% |
11,605 8.06% |
2,370 -4.05% |
| 2023-24 | 17,370 3.02% |
12,856 10.78% |
2,701 13.97% |
| 2024-25 | 20,393 17.40% |
13,101 1.91% |
2,754 1.96% |
| Average | 14,402 | 9,653 | 2,322 |
The following table compares University of North Carolina Wilmington' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | 74.01% | 64.24% | -13.20% |
| Elon University | 66.35% | 67.31% | -1.43% |
| James Madison University | 71.52% | 76.25% | -6.20% |
| William & Mary | 34.07% | 32.72% | 4.13% |
| Towson University | 81.97% | 82.80% | -1.00% |
| Hofstra University | 68.08% | 70.59% | -3.56% |
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