Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at Penn State Harrisburg

136.57%

Applicants - since 2015

12.73%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at Penn State Harrisburg over the past 10 years is 63.04%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 97.60%.

The acceptance rate has increased each year for the past 3 years, indicating decreasing selectivity.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 13.60%, and the 2025 yield is 11.24%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 56.22% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of Penn State Harrisburg applicants decreased by 9.52% (980 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 136.57% overall.

Key Takeaways: Penn State Harrisburg Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 97.60%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Penn State Harrisburg 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 11.24%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Penn State Harrisburg. 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, Penn State Harrisburg received approximately 9,316 applications, admitted 9,092 students, and enrolled 1,022 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Penn State Harrisburg 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

Penn State Harrisburg 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Penn State Harrisburg over the past decade show a pattern of decreasing selectivity, with the acceptance rate rising year-over-year for 3 consecutive years. The average acceptance rate over this period is 63.04%, while the most recent rate stands at 97.60%. 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 97.60%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 63.05% and for women is 63.03%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 84.87% 85.28% 84.34%
2016-17 84.52%
-0.35%
84.30%
-0.98%
84.77%
0.44%
2017-18 83.75%
-0.77%
83.09%
-1.21%
84.61%
-0.16%
2018-19 87.75%
4.00%
88.51%
5.42%
86.77%
2.16%
2019-20---
2020-21---
2021-22---
2022-23 95.55% - 95.32% - 95.82% -
2023-24 96.39%
0.84%
96.44%
1.12%
96.38%
0.56%
2024-25 97.60%
1.21%
97.59%
1.15%
97.59%
1.21%
Average 63.04% 63.05% 63.03%
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

Penn State Harrisburg has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 25.67% in 2015 to 11.24% in 2025, representing a 56.22% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 13.60%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Penn State Harrisburg from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 56.22% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 25.67% 28.31% 22.31%
2016-17 29.15%
3.47%
30.49%
2.18%
27.53%
5.22%
2017-18 20.61%
-8.54%
22.13%
-8.36%
18.63%
-8.90%
2018-19 24.52%
3.91%
25.65%
3.52%
23.04%
4.41%
2019-20---
2020-21---
2021-22---
2022-23 12.62% - 14.87% - 10.02% -
2023-24 12.19%
-0.43%
13.71%
-1.16%
10.18%
0.16%
2024-25 11.24%
-0.95%
12.64%
-1.07%
9.55%
-0.63%
Average 13.60% 14.78% 12.13%
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg 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 4,779, the average number of admitted is 4,405, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 726.

The number of Penn State Harrisburg applicants decreased by 9.52% (980 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 136.57% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 3,938 3,342 858
2016-17 4,153
5.46%
3,510
5.03%
1,023
19.23%
2017-18 5,574
34.22%
4,668
32.99%
962
-5.96%
2018-19 4,588
-17.69%
4,026
-13.75%
987
2.60%
2019-20---
2020-21---
2021-22---
2022-23 9,925- 9,483- 1,197-
2023-24 10,296
3.74%
9,924
4.65%
1,210
1.09%
2024-25 9,316
-9.52%
9,092
-8.38%
1,022
-15.54%
Average 4,779 4,405 726
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg96.39%97.60%1.26%
The Pennsylvania State University---
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus60.56%54.22%11.69%
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus58.08%49.70%16.86%
Temple University80.41%82.92%-3.03%
West Chester University of Pennsylvania78.40%79.20%-1.01%

Ratings & Review

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