Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at OBU

22.93%

Applicants - since 2015

-0.94%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at OBU over the past 10 years is 67.54%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 67.52%.

The acceptance rate has decreased each year for the past 3 years, indicating increasing selectivity.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 30.71%, and the 2025 yield is 28.93%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 15.72% from 2015 to 2025.

Key Takeaways: OBU Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 67.52%, demonstrating consistent admission standards over the past decade. The stability of this rate suggests that OBU 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 28.93%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at OBU. 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, OBU received approximately 2,155 applications, admitted 1,455 students, and enrolled 421 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that OBU 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

OBU 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at OBU 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 67.54%, while the most recent rate stands at 67.52%. 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 67.52%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 65.26% and for women is 69.10%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 68.45% 68.40% 68.50%
2016-17 66.88%
-1.57%
66.71%
-1.69%
67.01%
-1.49%
2017-18 70.94%
4.06%
69.39%
2.67%
72.06%
5.05%
2018-19 63.60%
-7.34%
61.77%
-7.62%
64.92%
-7.15%
2019-20 61.43%
-2.17%
59.54%
-2.23%
62.56%
-2.35%
2020-21 61.77%
0.34%
57.44%
-2.09%
64.36%
1.80%
2021-22 73.98%
12.22%
70.98%
13.53%
75.98%
11.62%
2022-23 72.32%
-1.66%
66.82%
-4.16%
76.27%
0.29%
2023-24 68.52%
-3.80%
65.32%
-1.50%
70.92%
-5.35%
2024-25 67.52%
-1.00%
66.19%
0.88%
68.42%
-2.49%
Average 67.54% 65.26% 69.10%
Ouachita Baptist University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

OBU has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 34.33% in 2015 to 28.93% in 2025, representing a 15.72% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 30.71%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at OBU from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 15.72% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 34.33% 37.32% 31.79%
2016-17 34.59%
0.25%
36.82%
-0.50%
32.87%
1.08%
2017-18 36.94%
2.35%
37.76%
0.94%
36.36%
3.49%
2018-19 32.22%
-4.72%
35.24%
-2.52%
30.15%
-6.22%
2019-20 28.29%
-3.93%
31.51%
-3.73%
26.44%
-3.71%
2020-21 24.95%
-3.34%
27.57%
-3.94%
23.55%
-2.89%
2021-22 25.01%
0.06%
33.00%
5.43%
21.02%
-2.53%
2022-23 29.83%
4.81%
31.60%
-1.40%
28.71%
7.69%
2023-24 32.01%
2.19%
34.67%
3.08%
30.18%
1.47%
2024-25 28.93%
-3.08%
31.07%
-3.60%
27.57%
-2.61%
Average 30.71% 33.66% 28.86%
Ouachita Baptist 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 2,144, the average number of admitted is 1,445, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 437.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 1,753 1,200 412
2016-17 1,712
-2.34%
1,145
-4.58%
396
-3.88%
2017-18 1,786
4.32%
1,267
10.66%
468
18.18%
2018-19 2,162
21.05%
1,375
8.52%
443
-5.34%
2019-20 2,538
17.39%
1,559
13.38%
441
-0.45%
2020-21 2,524
-0.55%
1,559 389
-11.79%
2021-22 2,610
3.41%
1,931
23.86%
483
24.16%
2022-23 2,063
-20.96%
1,492
-22.73%
445
-7.87%
2023-24 2,138
3.64%
1,465
-1.81%
469
5.39%
2024-25 2,155
0.80%
1,455
-0.68%
421
-10.23%
Average 2,144 1,445 437
Ouachita Baptist University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares Ouachita Baptist University' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
Ouachita Baptist University68.52%67.52%-1.46%
Harding University70.52%100.00%-29.48%
John Brown University76.14%67.64%12.57%
Hendrix College55.65%52.98%5.04%
Arkansas Colleges of Health Education---
Philander Smith University---

Ratings & Review

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