Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at Gardner-Webb

34.82%

Applicants - since 2015

24.52%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at Gardner-Webb over the past 10 years is 66.83%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 77.21%. Compared to the previous year, it became much more competitive to gain admission to Gardner-Webb in 2025.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 15.14%, and the 2025 yield is 11.18%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 50.48% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of Gardner-Webb applicants increased by 11.61% (542 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 34.82% overall.

Key Takeaways: Gardner-Webb Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 77.21%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Gardner-Webb 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 11.18%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Gardner-Webb. 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, Gardner-Webb received approximately 5,212 applications, admitted 4,024 students, and enrolled 450 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Gardner-Webb 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

Gardner-Webb 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Gardner-Webb over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 66.83%, while the most recent rate stands at 77.21%. 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 77.21%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 65.03% and for women is 68.04%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 52.69% 47.98% 55.95%
2016-17 51.88%
-0.81%
49.42%
1.44%
53.67%
-2.29%
2017-18 52.70%
0.82%
50.16%
0.74%
54.56%
0.89%
2018-19 48.14%
-4.55%
46.92%
-3.23%
49.02%
-5.54%
2019-20 66.71%
18.57%
67.59%
20.67%
66.12%
17.10%
2020-21 77.95%
11.24%
77.58%
9.99%
78.22%
12.09%
2021-22 79.00%
1.05%
77.01%
-0.57%
79.99%
1.77%
2022-23 74.95%
-4.05%
74.47%
-2.54%
75.28%
-4.71%
2023-24 87.02%
12.08%
85.83%
11.36%
87.96%
12.68%
2024-25 77.21%
-9.82%
73.37%
-12.47%
79.58%
-8.38%
Average 66.83% 65.03% 68.04%
Gardner-Webb University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

Gardner-Webb has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 22.58% in 2015 to 11.18% in 2025, representing a 50.48% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 15.14%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Gardner-Webb from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 50.48% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 22.58% 23.32% 22.14%
2016-17 19.86%
-2.73%
20.85%
-2.47%
19.19%
-2.95%
2017-18 24.38%
4.52%
23.65%
2.80%
24.87%
5.67%
2018-19 20.21%
-4.17%
21.36%
-2.29%
19.42%
-5.45%
2019-20 12.47%
-7.74%
13.98%
-7.38%
11.42%
-8.00%
2020-21 11.25%
-1.21%
14.57%
0.59%
8.93%
-2.49%
2021-22 10.00%
-1.25%
12.99%
-1.58%
8.00%
-0.94%
2022-23 9.39%
-0.61%
10.59%
-2.40%
8.54%
0.55%
2023-24 10.11%
0.73%
10.61%
0.01%
9.73%
1.19%
2024-25 11.18%
1.07%
15.09%
4.49%
9.27%
-0.47%
Average 15.14% 16.70% 14.15%
Gardner-Webb 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 4,682, the average number of admitted is 3,212, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 428.

The number of Gardner-Webb applicants increased by 11.61% (542 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 34.82% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 3,866 2,037 460
2016-17 4,310
11.48%
2,236
9.77%
444
-3.48%
2017-18 2,966
-31.18%
1,563
-30.10%
381
-14.19%
2018-19 4,204
41.74%
2,024
29.49%
409
7.35%
2019-20 4,834
14.99%
3,225
59.34%
402
-1.71%
2020-21 5,370
11.09%
4,186
29.80%
471
17.16%
2021-22 5,657
5.34%
4,469
6.76%
447
-5.10%
2022-23 5,728
1.26%
4,293
-3.94%
403
-9.84%
2023-24 4,670
-18.47%
4,064
-5.33%
411
1.99%
2024-25 5,212
11.61%
4,024
-0.98%
450
9.49%
Average 4,682 3,212 428
Gardner-Webb University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares Gardner-Webb University' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
Gardner-Webb University87.02%77.21%-11.27%
University of South Carolina-Upstate67.26%69.61%-3.38%
High Point University75.31%76.83%-1.98%
University of North Carolina Asheville91.92%93.89%-2.10%
Hampton University62.25%48.27%28.96%
Longwood University90.22%84.80%6.39%

Ratings & Review

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