Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at Bluffton

89.35%

Applicants - since 2015

13.66%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at Bluffton over the past 10 years is 60.91%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 67.23%. Compared to the previous year, it became much easier to gain admission to Bluffton in 2025.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 19.59%, and the 2025 yield is 9.03%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 63.32% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of Bluffton applicants increased by 8.88% (255 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 89.35% overall.

Key Takeaways: Bluffton Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 67.23%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Bluffton 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 9.03%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Bluffton. 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, Bluffton received approximately 3,128 applications, admitted 2,103 students, and enrolled 190 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Bluffton 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

Bluffton 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Bluffton over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 60.91%, while the most recent rate stands at 67.23%. 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 67.23%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 57.73% and for women is 67.08%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 53.57% 49.60% 58.06%
2016-17 49.53%
-4.04%
49.28%
-0.32%
49.79%
-8.27%
2017-18 48.84%
-0.69%
44.85%
-4.43%
55.85%
6.06%
2018-19 42.02%
-6.82%
40.33%
-4.52%
45.16%
-10.69%
2019-20 54.97%
12.95%
51.99%
11.66%
58.90%
13.74%
2020-21 60.51%
5.53%
55.88%
3.89%
65.99%
7.09%
2021-22 74.99%
14.48%
69.96%
14.08%
82.02%
16.03%
2022-23 96.29%
21.30%
95.41%
25.45%
97.46%
15.44%
2023-24 61.16%
-35.13%
57.60%
-37.81%
74.00%
-23.46%
2024-25 67.23%
6.08%
62.43%
4.83%
83.59%
9.59%
Average 60.91% 57.73% 67.08%
Bluffton University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

Bluffton has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 24.63% in 2015 to 9.03% in 2025, representing a 63.32% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 19.59%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Bluffton from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 63.32% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 24.63% 27.13% 22.22%
2016-17 28.38%
3.74%
32.80%
5.67%
23.74%
1.52%
2017-18 24.45%
-3.93%
23.96%
-8.84%
25.14%
1.40%
2018-19 19.26%
-5.19%
21.62%
-2.34%
15.36%
-9.78%
2019-20 23.74%
4.49%
27.92%
6.30%
18.89%
3.53%
2020-21 21.43%
-2.31%
25.00%
-2.92%
17.84%
-1.05%
2021-22 18.97%
-2.46%
21.04%
-3.96%
16.02%
-1.82%
2022-23 15.23%
-3.75%
15.51%
-5.53%
15.03%
-0.99%
2023-24 10.81%
-4.41%
9.88%
-5.63%
13.45%
-1.58%
2024-25 9.03%
-1.78%
8.49%
-1.38%
10.40%
-3.05%
Average 19.59% 21.33% 17.81%
Bluffton University 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 1,917, the average number of admitted is 1,149, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 203.

The number of Bluffton applicants increased by 8.88% (255 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 89.35% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 1,652 885 218
2016-17 1,480
-10.41%
733
-17.18%
208
-4.59%
2017-18 1,767
19.39%
863
17.74%
211
1.44%
2018-19 2,175
23.09%
914
5.91%
176
-16.59%
2019-20 1,770
-18.62%
973
6.46%
231
31.25%
2020-21 1,504
-15.03%
910
-6.47%
195
-15.58%
2021-22 1,715
14.03%
1,286
41.32%
244
25.13%
2022-23 1,105
-35.57%
1,064
-17.26%
162
-33.61%
2023-24 2,873
160.00%
1,757
65.13%
190
17.28%
2024-25 3,128
8.88%
2,103
19.69%
190
Average 1,917 1,149 203
Bluffton University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares Bluffton University' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
Bluffton University61.16%67.23%9.92%
Case Western Reserve University36.54%28.68%27.41%
University of Dayton65.45%61.65%6.16%
Franklin University---
Cedarville University65.29%62.82%3.93%
Xavier University86.41%87.73%-1.50%

Ratings & Review

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