Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at EIU

37.75%

Applicants - since 2015

15.13%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at EIU over the past 10 years is 58.50%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 65.35%. Compared to the previous year, it became slightly more competitive to gain admission to EIU in 2025.

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

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 16.41%, and the 2025 yield is 9.81%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 60.76% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of EIU applicants increased by 7.65% (891 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 37.75% overall.

Key Takeaways: EIU Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 65.35%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that EIU 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 9.81%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at EIU. 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, EIU received approximately 12,539 applications, admitted 8,194 students, and enrolled 804 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that EIU 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

EIU 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at EIU 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 58.50%, while the most recent rate stands at 65.35%. 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 65.35%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 54.74% and for women is 61.23%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 50.21% 47.19% 52.28%
2016-17 46.88%
-3.34%
43.04%
-4.15%
49.57%
-2.72%
2017-18 51.51%
4.64%
47.35%
4.31%
54.53%
4.97%
2018-19 55.31%
3.80%
52.33%
4.97%
57.31%
2.78%
2019-20 52.50%
-2.81%
50.43%
-1.90%
53.84%
-3.47%
2020-21 55.54%
3.04%
53.52%
3.09%
56.83%
2.99%
2021-22 71.99%
16.45%
67.01%
13.49%
75.01%
18.18%
2022-23 67.96%
-4.03%
63.74%
-3.27%
71.21%
-3.80%
2023-24 67.75%
-0.21%
63.03%
-0.71%
71.60%
0.39%
2024-25 65.35%
-2.41%
59.76%
-3.27%
70.09%
-1.50%
Average 58.50% 54.74% 61.23%
Eastern Illinois University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

EIU has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 25.01% in 2015 to 9.81% in 2025, representing a 60.76% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 16.41%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at EIU from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 60.76% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 25.01% 25.63% 24.62%
2016-17 19.56%
-5.45%
20.23%
-5.40%
19.15%
-5.47%
2017-18 18.45%
-1.11%
19.48%
-0.75%
17.80%
-1.35%
2018-19 16.81%
-1.64%
17.29%
-2.19%
16.53%
-1.28%
2019-20 19.89%
3.07%
22.37%
5.08%
18.38%
1.86%
2020-21 18.05%
-1.84%
18.47%
-3.90%
17.79%
-0.59%
2021-22 15.01%
-3.04%
17.01%
-1.46%
14.01%
-3.79%
2022-23 11.13%
-3.88%
10.97%
-6.04%
11.46%
-2.55%
2023-24 10.38%
-0.75%
9.28%
-1.69%
11.40%
-0.06%
2024-25 9.81%
-0.57%
10.13%
0.84%
9.60%
-1.80%
Average 16.41% 17.08% 16.07%
Eastern Illinois 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 9,384, the average number of admitted is 5,560, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 847.

The number of EIU applicants increased by 7.65% (891 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 37.75% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 9,103 4,571 1,143
2016-17 8,420
-7.50%
3,947
-13.65%
772
-32.46%
2017-18 6,965
-17.28%
3,588
-9.10%
662
-14.25%
2018-19 8,580
23.19%
4,746
32.27%
798
20.54%
2019-20 8,859
3.25%
4,651
-2.00%
925
15.91%
2020-21 8,999
1.58%
4,998
7.46%
902
-2.49%
2021-22 7,145
-20.60%
5,144
2.92%
772
-14.41%
2022-23 11,584
62.13%
7,873
53.05%
876
13.47%
2023-24 11,648
0.55%
7,892
0.24%
819
-6.51%
2024-25 12,539
7.65%
8,194
3.83%
804
-1.83%
Average 9,384 5,560 847
Eastern Illinois University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

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

20242025Change %
Eastern Illinois University67.75%65.35%-3.54%
Tennessee Technological University76.13%83.16%-8.45%
Morehead State University77.21%82.12%-5.98%
Tennessee State University70.11%92.63%-24.31%
The University of Tennessee-Martin88.20%87.32%1.01%
Eastern Kentucky University77.61%78.09%-0.61%

Ratings & Review

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