Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at CIA

32.52%

Applicants - since 2015

-3.56%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at CIA over the past 10 years is 64.34%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 61.35%. Compared to the previous year, it became easier to gain admission to CIA in 2025.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 25.66%, and the 2025 yield is 19.83%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 43.45% from 2015 to 2025.

Key Takeaways: CIA Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 61.35%, representing an increasingly selective admissions process. This indicates that CIA has become more competitive over the past decade, as the institution receives a growing number of applications while maintaining or reducing the number of admitted students.

Yield Rate & Enrollment Patterns

The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 19.83%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at CIA. 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, CIA received approximately 978 applications, admitted 600 students, and enrolled 119 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that CIA 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

CIA 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at CIA over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 64.34%, while the most recent rate stands at 61.35%. 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 61.35%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 55.86% and for women is 67.70%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 64.91% 62.90% 66.36%
2016-17 60.53%
-4.37%
55.52%
-7.38%
62.50%
-3.86%
2017-18 54.23%
-6.30%
46.91%
-8.61%
58.27%
-4.23%
2018-19 73.46%
19.23%
67.21%
20.30%
76.15%
17.88%
2019-20 69.60%
-3.87%
58.61%
-8.60%
73.56%
-2.59%
2020-21 67.18%
-2.42%
54.30%
-4.31%
71.77%
-1.80%
2021-22 65.99%
-1.19%
58.05%
3.76%
69.02%
-2.74%
2022-23 69.84%
3.85%
62.83%
4.77%
72.51%
3.49%
2023-24 56.28%
-13.56%
48.25%
-14.58%
59.21%
-13.30%
2024-25 61.35%
5.07%
44.06%
-4.19%
67.64%
8.44%
Average 64.34% 55.86% 67.70%
Cleveland Institute of Art Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

CIA has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 35.07% in 2015 to 19.83% in 2025, representing a 43.45% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 25.66%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at CIA from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 43.45% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 35.07% 34.87% 35.21%
2016-17 30.02%
-5.05%
30.99%
-3.88%
29.54%
-5.67%
2017-18 29.67%
-0.35%
27.13%
-3.86%
31.35%
1.81%
2018-19 23.24%
-6.43%
25.12%
-2.01%
22.53%
-8.82%
2019-20 19.57%
-3.67%
20.90%
-4.22%
19.19%
-3.34%
2020-21 22.75%
3.18%
23.02%
2.12%
22.67%
3.49%
2021-22 21.95%
-0.80%
21.29%
-1.73%
22.00%
-0.67%
2022-23 31.82%
9.87%
31.67%
10.38%
31.87%
9.86%
2023-24 22.69%
-9.12%
29.84%
-1.83%
20.57%
-11.29%
2024-25 19.83%
-2.86%
18.26%
-11.58%
20.21%
-0.37%
Average 25.66% 26.31% 25.51%
Cleveland Institute of Art 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 926, the average number of admitted is 596, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 149.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 738 479 168
2016-17 864
17.07%
523
9.19%
157
-6.55%
2017-18 957
10.76%
519
-0.76%
154
-1.91%
2018-19 1,025
7.11%
753
45.09%
175
13.64%
2019-20 1,138
11.02%
792
5.18%
155
-11.43%
2020-21 975
-14.32%
655
-17.30%
149
-3.87%
2021-22 932
-4.41%
615
-6.11%
135
-9.40%
2022-23 693
-25.64%
484
-21.30%
154
14.07%
2023-24 963
38.96%
542
11.98%
123
-20.13%
2024-25 978
1.56%
600
10.70%
119
-3.25%
Average 926 596 149
Cleveland Institute of Art - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares Cleveland Institute of Art' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
Cleveland Institute of Art56.28%61.35%9.01%
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%

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