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The average acceptance rate at WMU over the past 10 years is 82.97%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 84.60%. The acceptance rate at WMU is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 19.54%, and the 2025 yield is 13.53%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 43.39% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of WMU applicants increased by 7.97% (1,601 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 43.00% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 84.60%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that WMU 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 13.53%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at WMU. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.
For the 2025 admission cycle, WMU received approximately 21,701 applications, admitted 18,359 students, and enrolled 2,484 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that WMU 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.
WMU 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at WMU over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 82.97%, while the most recent rate stands at 84.60%. 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 84.60%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 81.69% and for women is 83.96%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at WMU have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 82.38% | 80.67% | 83.78% |
| 2016-17 | 82.31% -0.07% |
81.39% 0.72% |
83.06% -0.72% |
| 2017-18 | 82.32% 0.01% |
81.19% -0.20% |
83.29% 0.24% |
| 2018-19 | 81.10% -1.21% |
80.42% -0.77% |
81.68% -1.61% |
| 2019-20 | 79.86% -1.25% |
79.35% -1.07% |
80.29% -1.39% |
| 2020-21 | 84.94% 5.09% |
84.13% 4.78% |
85.63% 5.34% |
| 2021-22 | 83.00% -1.94% |
81.00% -3.13% |
84.00% -1.63% |
| 2022-23 | 84.55% 1.55% |
82.78% 1.77% |
85.94% 1.94% |
| 2023-24 | 84.68% 0.12% |
82.80% 0.03% |
86.17% 0.23% |
| 2024-25 | 84.60% -0.08% |
83.14% 0.34% |
85.79% -0.38% |
| Average | 82.97% | 81.69% | 83.96% |
WMU has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 23.90% in 2015 to 13.53% in 2025, representing a 43.39% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 19.54%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at WMU from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 43.39% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 23.90% | 27.00% | 21.47% |
| 2016-17 | 26.15% 2.25% |
27.70% 0.70% |
24.92% 3.45% |
| 2017-18 | 27.07% 0.92% |
28.44% 0.73% |
25.91% 1.00% |
| 2018-19 | 21.86% -5.21% |
24.46% -3.98% |
19.70% -6.22% |
| 2019-20 | 20.65% -1.21% |
23.07% -1.38% |
18.63% -1.06% |
| 2020-21 | 18.55% -2.10% |
20.35% -2.72% |
17.06% -1.58% |
| 2021-22 | 14.00% -4.55% |
16.00% -4.36% |
12.00% -5.05% |
| 2022-23 | 15.12% 1.12% |
16.25% 0.26% |
14.27% 2.26% |
| 2023-24 | 14.52% -0.60% |
16.03% -0.22% |
13.37% -0.90% |
| 2024-25 | 13.53% -0.99% |
13.99% -2.04% |
13.17% -0.20% |
| Average | 19.54% | 21.33% | 18.05% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 17,554, the average number of admitted is 14,586, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 2,742.
The number of WMU applicants increased by 7.97% (1,601 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 43.00% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Western Michigan University from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 15,175 | 12,501 | 2,988 |
| 2016-17 | 13,613 -10.29% |
11,205 -10.37% |
2,930 -1.94% |
| 2017-18 | 14,263 4.77% |
11,741 4.78% |
3,178 8.46% |
| 2018-19 | 17,051 19.55% |
13,829 17.78% |
3,023 -4.88% |
| 2019-20 | 17,698 3.79% |
14,133 2.20% |
2,919 -3.44% |
| 2020-21 | 16,582 -6.31% |
14,085 -0.34% |
2,613 -10.48% |
| 2021-22 | 18,853 13.70% |
15,648 11.10% |
2,191 -16.15% |
| 2022-23 | 20,501 8.74% |
17,334 10.77% |
2,621 19.63% |
| 2023-24 | 20,100 -1.96% |
17,020 -1.81% |
2,472 -5.68% |
| 2024-25 | 21,701 7.97% |
18,359 7.87% |
2,484 0.49% |
| Average | 17,554 | 14,586 | 2,742 |
The following table compares Western Michigan University' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Michigan University | 84.68% | 84.60% | -0.09% |
| Northern Illinois University | 69.79% | 70.45% | -0.94% |
| Ball State University | 85.50% | 71.60% | 19.41% |
| Kent State University at Kent | 86.34% | 86.65% | -0.36% |
| Central Michigan University | 89.82% | 91.01% | -1.31% |
| University of Toledo | 92.02% | 94.83% | -2.96% |
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