Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at MSU

46.14%

Applicants - since 2015

-0.72%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at MSU over the past 10 years is 80.86%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 82.14%. Compared to the previous year, it became slightly more competitive to gain admission to MSU in 2025. The acceptance rate at MSU is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 21.73%, and the 2025 yield is 20.31%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 17.39% from 2015 to 2025.

Key Takeaways: MSU Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 82.14%, demonstrating consistent admission standards over the past decade. The stability of this rate suggests that MSU 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 20.31%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at MSU. 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, MSU received approximately 21,652 applications, admitted 17,786 students, and enrolled 3,612 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that MSU 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

MSU 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at MSU over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 80.86%, while the most recent rate stands at 82.14%. 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 82.14%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 85.21% and for women is 77.15%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 82.86% 87.31% 78.53%
2016-17 82.87%
0.01%
97.28%
9.98%
70.60%
-7.94%
2017-18 83.11%
0.24%
84.20%
-13.08%
82.04%
11.44%
2018-19 81.70%
-1.41%
81.70%
-2.50%
81.70%
-0.34%
2019-20 81.94%
0.24%
92.40%
10.70%
72.66%
-9.04%
2020-21 80.77%
-1.16%
80.77%
-11.63%
80.78%
8.12%
2021-22 73.00%
-7.77%
78.00%
-2.77%
69.00%
-11.78%
2022-23 73.33%
0.33%
79.27%
1.27%
69.01%
0.01%
2023-24 86.83%
13.50%
87.25%
7.98%
86.48%
17.47%
2024-25 82.14%
-4.69%
83.96%
-3.29%
80.70%
-5.78%
Average 80.86% 85.21% 77.15%
Montana State University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

MSU has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 24.58% in 2015 to 20.31% in 2025, representing a 17.39% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 21.73%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at MSU from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 17.39% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 24.58% 26.81% 22.18%
2016-17 26.43%
1.84%
27.24%
0.44%
25.47%
3.29%
2017-18 24.08%
-2.35%
26.19%
-1.05%
21.94%
-3.53%
2018-19 22.24%
-1.84%
27.38%
1.19%
18.04%
-3.90%
2019-20 21.46%
-0.78%
22.59%
-4.79%
20.19%
2.14%
2020-21 21.36%
-0.10%
21.46%
-1.13%
21.23%
1.04%
2021-22 20.00%
-1.36%
24.00%
2.54%
17.00%
-4.23%
2022-23 17.77%
-2.23%
20.75%
-3.25%
15.27%
-1.73%
2023-24 19.05%
1.28%
22.09%
1.34%
16.53%
1.26%
2024-25 20.31%
1.26%
23.06%
0.97%
18.18%
1.65%
Average 21.73% 24.16% 19.60%
Montana 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 20,341, the average number of admitted is 16,314, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 3,479.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 14,816 12,277 3,018
2016-17 15,996
7.96%
13,256
7.97%
3,503
16.07%
2017-18 16,769
4.83%
13,937
5.14%
3,356
-4.20%
2018-19 18,637
11.14%
15,226
9.25%
3,387
0.92%
2019-20 19,142
2.71%
15,684
3.01%
3,366
-0.62%
2020-21 18,892
-1.31%
15,260
-2.70%
3,259
-3.18%
2021-22 26,741
41.55%
19,521
27.92%
3,904
19.79%
2022-23 28,794
7.68%
21,116
8.17%
3,752
-3.89%
2023-24 21,975
-23.68%
19,081
-9.64%
3,634
-3.14%
2024-25 21,652
-1.47%
17,786
-6.79%
3,612
-0.61%
Average 20,341 16,314 3,479
Montana State University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

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

20242025Change %
Montana State University86.83%82.14%-5.40%
University of Idaho75.53%79.09%-4.50%
Southern Utah University81.79%80.47%1.64%
Weber State University---
Northern Arizona University89.61%90.95%-1.47%
California State University-Sacramento93.99%93.62%0.40%

Ratings & Review

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