Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at Columbia

411.46%

Applicants - since 2015

4.80%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at Columbia over the past 10 years is 93.94%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 93.93%. The acceptance rate at Columbia is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.

The acceptance rate has decreased each year for the past 3 years, indicating increasing selectivity.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 19.61%, and the 2025 yield is 8.53%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 78.84% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of Columbia applicants increased by 21.78% (471 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 411.46% overall.

Key Takeaways: Columbia Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 93.93%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Columbia 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 8.53%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Columbia. 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, Columbia received approximately 2,634 applications, admitted 2,474 students, and enrolled 211 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Columbia 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

Columbia 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Columbia over the past decade show a consistent pattern of increasing selectivity, with the acceptance rate declining year-over-year for 3 consecutive years. The average acceptance rate over this period is 93.94%, while the most recent rate stands at 93.93%. 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 93.93%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 57.14% and for women is 94.05%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 89.13% 0.00% 89.13%
2016-17 87.07%
-2.05%
0.00% 87.07%
-2.05%
2017-18 86.82%
-0.25%
0.00% 86.82%
-0.25%
2018-19 95.90%
9.08%
0.00% 95.90%
9.08%
2019-20 96.57%
0.68%
100.00%
100.00%
96.56%
0.67%
2020-21 97.07%
0.50%
84.62%
-15.38%
97.28%
0.72%
2021-22 98.98%
1.91%
99.13%
14.51%
99.05%
1.76%
2022-23 98.12%
-0.87%
98.71%
-0.41%
97.94%
-1.11%
2023-24 95.79%
-2.32%
95.21%
-3.50%
96.44%
-1.50%
2024-25 93.93%
-1.87%
93.72%
-1.49%
94.32%
-2.12%
Average 93.94% 57.14% 94.05%
Columbia College Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

Columbia has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 40.31% in 2015 to 8.53% in 2025, representing a 78.84% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 19.61%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Columbia from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 78.84% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 40.31% 0.00% 40.31%
2016-17 31.88%
-8.43%
0.00% 31.88%
-8.43%
2017-18 20.94%
-10.94%
0.00% 20.94%
-10.94%
2018-19 19.14%
-1.80%
0.00% 19.14%
-1.80%
2019-20 22.31%
3.16%
100.00%
100.00%
22.01%
2.87%
2020-21 17.30%
-5.01%
45.45%
-54.55%
16.89%
-5.12%
2021-22 17.00%
-0.30%
22.91%
-22.55%
15.01%
-1.87%
2022-23 8.90%
-8.10%
11.74%
-11.17%
8.18%
-6.83%
2023-24 9.85%
0.95%
10.06%
-1.68%
9.97%
1.79%
2024-25 8.53%
-1.32%
11.39%
1.33%
7.75%
-2.23%
Average 19.61% 20.16% 19.21%
Columbia College 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 1,265, the average number of admitted is 1,202, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 178.

The number of Columbia applicants increased by 21.78% (471 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 411.46% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 515 459 185
2016-17 526
2.14%
458
-0.22%
146
-21.08%
2017-18 880
67.30%
764
66.81%
160
9.59%
2018-19 877
-0.34%
841
10.08%
161
0.63%
2019-20 817
-6.84%
789
-6.18%
176
9.32%
2020-21 786
-3.79%
763
-3.30%
132
-25.00%
2021-22 1,278
62.60%
1,265
65.79%
215
62.88%
2022-23 2,176
70.27%
2,135
68.77%
190
-11.63%
2023-24 2,163
-0.60%
2,072
-2.95%
204
7.37%
2024-25 2,634
21.78%
2,474
19.40%
211
3.43%
Average 1,265 1,202 178
Columbia College - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares Columbia College' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
Columbia College95.79%93.93%-1.94%
Anderson University54.71%52.81%3.60%
Charleston Southern University96.46%76.09%26.77%
Columbia International University94.47%97.58%-3.19%
Bob Jones University---
Furman University42.95%52.57%-18.30%

Ratings & Review

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