Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at ESU

10.48%

Applicants - since 2015

10.72%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at ESU over the past 10 years is 89.24%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 97.71%. The acceptance rate at ESU is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 39.17%, and the 2025 yield is 22.95%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 52.86% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of ESU applicants increased by 20.48% (326 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 10.48% overall.

Key Takeaways: ESU Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 97.71%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that ESU 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 22.95%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at ESU. 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, ESU received approximately 1,918 applications, admitted 1,874 students, and enrolled 430 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that ESU 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

ESU 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at ESU over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 89.24%, while the most recent rate stands at 97.71%. 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 97.71%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 88.73% and for women is 89.51%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 86.98% 85.47% 87.85%
2016-17 87.43%
0.44%
86.11%
0.64%
88.18%
0.33%
2017-18 82.75%
-4.67%
81.87%
-4.24%
83.21%
-4.97%
2018-19 85.32%
2.56%
84.59%
2.72%
85.73%
2.51%
2019-20 84.67%
-0.64%
84.96%
0.37%
84.53%
-1.20%
2020-21 86.08%
1.40%
87.08%
2.11%
85.59%
1.06%
2021-22 88.02%
1.94%
88.02%
0.94%
88.02%
2.43%
2022-23 95.67%
7.65%
96.49%
8.48%
95.27%
7.25%
2023-24 97.74%
2.07%
96.46%
-0.04%
98.34%
3.07%
2024-25 97.71%
-0.03%
96.27%
-0.18%
98.39%
0.05%
Average 89.24% 88.73% 89.51%
Emporia State University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

ESU has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 48.68% in 2015 to 22.95% in 2025, representing a 52.86% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 39.17%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at ESU from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 52.86% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 48.68% 50.09% 47.88%
2016-17 44.69%
-3.98%
43.90%
-6.19%
45.13%
-2.75%
2017-18 43.25%
-1.44%
43.67%
-0.23%
43.04%
-2.09%
2018-19 46.80%
3.54%
46.53%
2.86%
46.95%
3.91%
2019-20 48.09%
1.29%
50.11%
3.57%
47.09%
0.14%
2020-21 42.51%
-5.58%
46.58%
-3.53%
40.52%
-6.57%
2021-22 38.03%
-4.48%
42.96%
-3.62%
35.97%
-4.55%
2022-23 30.41%
-7.62%
31.66%
-11.30%
29.71%
-6.25%
2023-24 26.29%
-4.12%
28.57%
-3.09%
25.23%
-4.48%
2024-25 22.95%
-3.34%
26.09%
-2.48%
21.48%
-3.75%
Average 39.17% 41.02% 38.30%
Emporia State 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 1,677, the average number of admitted is 1,499, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 576.

The number of ESU applicants increased by 20.48% (326 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 10.48% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 1,736 1,510 735
2016-17 1,702
-1.96%
1,488
-1.46%
665
-9.52%
2017-18 1,693
-0.53%
1,401
-5.85%
606
-8.87%
2018-19 1,648
-2.66%
1,406
0.36%
658
8.58%
2019-20 1,670
1.33%
1,414
0.57%
680
3.34%
2020-21 1,544
-7.54%
1,329
-6.01%
565
-16.91%
2021-22 1,419
-8.10%
1,249
-6.02%
475
-15.93%
2022-23 1,846
30.09%
1,766
41.39%
537
13.05%
2023-24 1,592
-13.76%
1,556
-11.89%
409
-23.84%
2024-25 1,918
20.48%
1,874
20.44%
430
5.13%
Average 1,677 1,499 576
Emporia State University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

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

20242025Change %
Emporia State University97.74%97.71%-0.03%
University of Kansas93.48%88.20%5.99%
Kansas State University81.69%79.36%2.94%
Wichita State University93.95%94.94%-1.04%
Fort Hays State University90.26%91.77%-1.65%
Washburn University---

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