Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at Bucknell

3.74%

Applicants - since 2015

4.14%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at Bucknell over the past 10 years is 31.91%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 28.93%. Compared to the previous year, it became slightly more competitive to gain admission to Bucknell in 2025.

The acceptance rate has decreased each year for the past 4 years, indicating increasing selectivity.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 29.20%, and the 2025 yield is 30.11%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 12.74% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of Bucknell applicants increased by 3.33% (367 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 3.74% overall.

Key Takeaways: Bucknell Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 28.93%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Bucknell 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 30.11%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Bucknell. 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, Bucknell received approximately 11,377 applications, admitted 3,291 students, and enrolled 991 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Bucknell 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

Bucknell 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Bucknell over the past decade show a consistent pattern of increasing selectivity, with the acceptance rate declining year-over-year for 4 consecutive years. The average acceptance rate over this period is 31.91%, while the most recent rate stands at 28.93%. 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 28.93%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 29.38% and for women is 34.42%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 24.78% 23.26% 26.34%
2016-17 29.92%
5.14%
28.67%
5.41%
31.29%
4.95%
2017-18 31.08%
1.16%
28.65%
-0.03%
33.79%
2.49%
2018-19 33.04%
1.96%
30.74%
2.09%
35.50%
1.71%
2019-20 34.23%
1.19%
31.47%
0.73%
37.24%
1.74%
2020-21 37.53%
3.30%
35.42%
3.94%
39.71%
2.47%
2021-22 35.00%
-2.53%
31.00%
-4.42%
38.00%
-1.71%
2022-23 32.55%
-2.45%
29.60%
-1.40%
35.46%
-2.54%
2023-24 32.01%
-0.55%
29.32%
-0.27%
34.72%
-0.73%
2024-25 28.93%
-3.08%
25.65%
-3.67%
32.20%
-2.53%
Average 31.91% 29.38% 34.42%
Bucknell University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

Bucknell has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 34.51% in 2015 to 30.11% in 2025, representing a 12.74% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 29.20%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Bucknell from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 12.74% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 34.51% 35.35% 33.75%
2016-17 30.27%
-4.24%
30.19%
-5.16%
30.36%
-3.40%
2017-18 30.53%
0.26%
30.70%
0.51%
30.37%
0.01%
2018-19 29.06%
-1.47%
28.54%
-2.15%
29.53%
-0.84%
2019-20 28.61%
-0.45%
28.40%
-0.14%
28.79%
-0.74%
2020-21 26.56%
-2.04%
25.86%
-2.54%
27.21%
-1.58%
2021-22 26.00%
-0.56%
28.03%
2.17%
25.00%
-2.21%
2022-23 27.13%
1.13%
29.30%
1.27%
25.36%
0.36%
2023-24 29.23%
2.10%
28.88%
-0.42%
29.53%
4.17%
2024-25 30.11%
0.88%
32.19%
3.31%
28.47%
-1.06%
Average 29.20% 29.74% 28.84%
Bucknell 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 10,694, the average number of admitted is 3,405, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 987.

The number of Bucknell applicants increased by 3.33% (367 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 3.74% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 10,967 2,718 938
2016-17 10,487
-4.38%
3,138
15.45%
950
1.28%
2017-18 10,253
-2.23%
3,187
1.56%
973
2.42%
2018-19 10,144
-1.06%
3,352
5.18%
974
0.10%
2019-20 9,845
-2.95%
3,370
0.54%
964
-1.03%
2020-21 9,890
0.46%
3,712
10.15%
986
2.28%
2021-22 11,263
13.88%
3,942
6.20%
1,025
3.96%
2022-23 11,707
3.94%
3,811
-3.32%
1,034
0.88%
2023-24 11,010
-5.95%
3,524
-7.53%
1,030
-0.39%
2024-25 11,377
3.33%
3,291
-6.61%
991
-3.79%
Average 10,694 3,405 987
Bucknell University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

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

20242025Change %
Bucknell University32.01%28.93%-9.62%
Colgate University13.88%11.95%16.15%
United States Military Academy---
College of the Holy Cross17.61%21.10%-16.54%
United States Naval Academy---
Lehigh University25.93%29.26%-11.38%

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