Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at JMU

79.24%

Applicants - since 2015

-1.06%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at JMU over the past 10 years is 76.03%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 71.52%. Compared to the previous year, it became slightly more competitive to gain admission to JMU in 2025. The acceptance rate at JMU 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 24.51%, and the 2025 yield is 18.16%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 35.91% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of JMU applicants increased by 7.49% (2,678 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 79.24% overall.

Key Takeaways: JMU Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 71.52%, demonstrating consistent admission standards over the past decade. The stability of this rate suggests that JMU maintains a predictable and steady admissions environment for prospective students.

Yield Rate & Enrollment Patterns

The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 18.16%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at JMU. 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, JMU received approximately 38,428 applications, admitted 27,482 students, and enrolled 4,990 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that JMU 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.

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Acceptance Rate Changes

JMU 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at JMU 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 76.03%, while the most recent rate stands at 71.52%. 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 71.52%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 70.87% and for women is 79.58%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 72.57% 67.43% 76.04%
2016-17 72.13%
-0.45%
66.90%
-0.53%
75.71%
-0.33%
2017-18 75.20%
3.07%
68.34%
1.44%
79.85%
4.14%
2018-19 71.13%
-4.06%
64.58%
-3.76%
75.63%
-4.22%
2019-20 76.75%
5.62%
71.28%
6.70%
80.43%
4.81%
2020-21 80.49%
3.74%
76.03%
4.75%
83.44%
3.01%
2021-22 86.00%
5.51%
82.00%
5.97%
89.00%
5.56%
2022-23 78.31%
-7.69%
73.28%
-8.72%
81.76%
-7.24%
2023-24 76.25%
-2.06%
71.51%
-1.77%
79.50%
-2.26%
2024-25 71.52%
-4.73%
67.35%
-4.16%
74.43%
-5.07%
Average 76.03% 70.87% 79.58%
James Madison University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

JMU has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 28.33% in 2015 to 18.16% in 2025, representing a 35.91% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 24.51%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at JMU from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 35.91% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 28.33% 29.58% 27.58%
2016-17 29.32%
0.99%
30.73%
1.15%
28.46%
0.88%
2017-18 29.43%
0.11%
32.52%
1.79%
27.63%
-0.83%
2018-19 27.58%
-1.85%
30.75%
-1.77%
25.71%
-1.92%
2019-20 24.62%
-2.95%
27.13%
-3.62%
23.13%
-2.58%
2020-21 23.40%
-1.22%
24.72%
-2.42%
22.60%
-0.53%
2021-22 26.00%
2.60%
31.00%
6.28%
23.00%
0.40%
2022-23 20.21%
-5.79%
23.24%
-7.75%
18.41%
-4.59%
2023-24 18.06%
-2.15%
20.23%
-3.01%
16.71%
-1.71%
2024-25 18.16%
0.10%
19.66%
-0.58%
17.20%
0.49%
Average 24.51% 26.96% 23.04%
James Madison 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 26,057, the average number of admitted is 19,763, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 4,659.

The number of JMU applicants increased by 7.49% (2,678 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 79.24% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 21,439 15,559 4,408
2016-17 21,304
-0.63%
15,366
-1.24%
4,505
2.20%
2017-18 21,100
-0.96%
15,867
3.26%
4,669
3.64%
2018-19 23,149
9.71%
16,467
3.78%
4,541
-2.74%
2019-20 23,579
1.86%
18,098
9.90%
4,456
-1.87%
2020-21 23,922
1.45%
19,255
6.39%
4,505
1.10%
2021-22 21,176
-11.48%
18,211
-5.42%
4,735
5.11%
2022-23 30,727
45.10%
24,062
32.13%
4,863
2.70%
2023-24 35,750
16.35%
27,258
13.28%
4,922
1.21%
2024-25 38,428
7.49%
27,482
0.82%
4,990
1.38%
Average 26,057 19,763 4,659
James Madison University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares James Madison University' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
James Madison University76.25%71.52%-6.20%
Hofstra University68.08%70.59%-3.56%
Northeastern University5.22%5.65%-7.61%
Drexel University79.44%77.53%2.46%
Elon University66.35%67.31%-1.43%
University of Delaware70.60%65.11%8.43%

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