Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at OSU

80.99%

Applicants - since 2015

11.19%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at OSU over the past 10 years is 54.69%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 60.57%. Compared to the previous year, it became much easier to gain admission to OSU in 2025.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 28.01%, and the 2025 yield is 21.78%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 38.46% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of OSU applicants increased by 4.00% (2,801 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 80.99% overall.

Key Takeaways: OSU Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 60.57%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that OSU 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 21.78%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at OSU. 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, OSU received approximately 72,829 applications, admitted 44,116 students, and enrolled 9,607 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that OSU 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

OSU 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at OSU over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 54.69%, while the most recent rate stands at 60.57%. 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 60.57%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 52.51% and for women is 56.84%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 49.38% 47.02% 51.83%
2016-17 54.11%
4.72%
52.24%
5.23%
55.95%
4.12%
2017-18 48.06%
-6.05%
45.08%
-7.16%
51.14%
-4.81%
2018-19 51.98%
3.92%
47.86%
2.78%
56.03%
4.89%
2019-20 53.74%
1.76%
51.82%
3.96%
55.58%
-0.45%
2020-21 68.49%
14.75%
65.77%
13.95%
71.21%
15.64%
2021-22 57.00%
-11.49%
55.00%
-10.77%
59.00%
-12.21%
2022-23 52.72%
-4.28%
51.09%
-3.91%
54.20%
-4.80%
2023-24 50.82%
-1.90%
49.60%
-1.49%
51.98%
-2.22%
2024-25 60.57%
9.76%
59.60%
10.00%
61.51%
9.53%
Average 54.69% 52.51% 56.84%
Ohio State University-Main Campus Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

OSU has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 35.39% in 2015 to 21.78% in 2025, representing a 38.46% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 28.01%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at OSU from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 38.46% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 35.39% 35.98% 34.83%
2016-17 32.71%
-2.67%
33.01%
-2.97%
32.44%
-2.39%
2017-18 31.39%
-1.32%
32.01%
-1.00%
30.83%
-1.61%
2018-19 31.79%
0.40%
33.33%
1.32%
30.49%
-0.33%
2019-20 30.10%
-1.69%
31.06%
-2.27%
29.24%
-1.26%
2020-21 25.82%
-4.28%
25.35%
-5.71%
26.24%
-2.99%
2021-22 25.00%
-0.81%
25.00%
-0.35%
26.00%
-0.24%
2022-23 23.45%
-1.55%
23.87%
-1.13%
23.10%
-2.90%
2023-24 22.65%
-0.80%
22.48%
-1.38%
22.81%
-0.29%
2024-25 21.78%
-0.88%
21.48%
-1.00%
22.05%
-0.76%
Average 28.01% 28.36% 27.80%
Ohio State University-Main Campus 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 54,396, the average number of admitted is 29,858, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 8,054.

The number of OSU applicants increased by 4.00% (2,801 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 80.99% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 40,240 19,872 7,032
2016-17 44,845
11.44%
24,265
22.11%
7,938
12.88%
2017-18 47,782
6.55%
22,964
-5.36%
7,209
-9.18%
2018-19 48,077
0.62%
24,988
8.81%
7,944
10.20%
2019-20 47,703
-0.78%
25,634
2.59%
7,716
-2.87%
2020-21 49,087
2.90%
33,619
31.15%
8,679
12.48%
2021-22 58,180
18.52%
33,163
-1.36%
8,291
-4.47%
2022-23 65,189
12.05%
34,370
3.64%
8,060
-2.79%
2023-24 70,028
7.42%
35,588
3.54%
8,062
0.02%
2024-25 72,829
4.00%
44,116
23.96%
9,607
19.16%
Average 54,396 29,858 8,054
Ohio State University-Main Campus - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares Ohio State University-Main Campus' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
Ohio State University-Main Campus50.82%60.57%19.19%
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign42.37%43.69%-3.02%
Northwestern University7.69%7.15%7.55%
Purdue University-Main Campus49.87%50.30%-0.85%
University of Wisconsin-Madison45.20%43.35%4.27%
University of Iowa83.62%84.67%-1.24%

Ratings & Review

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