Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

1.79%

Applicants - since 2015

6.23%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale over the past 10 years is 82.71%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 86.88%. Compared to the previous year, it became slightly more competitive to gain admission to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 2025. The acceptance rate at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 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 22.37%, and the 2025 yield is 18.64%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 26.36% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale applicants increased by 4.39% (457 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 1.79% overall.

Key Takeaways: Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 86.88%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 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 18.64%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. 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, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale received approximately 10,858 applications, admitted 9,433 students, and enrolled 1,758 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 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

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 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 82.71%, while the most recent rate stands at 86.88%. 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 86.88%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 82.85% and for women is 82.73%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 80.64% 81.52% 80.24%
2016-17 76.65%
-3.99%
78.09%
-3.42%
75.75%
-4.49%
2017-18 76.01%
-0.64%
76.84%
-1.26%
75.63%
-0.11%
2018-19 71.85%
-4.15%
73.89%
-2.95%
70.40%
-5.23%
2019-20 66.38%
-5.48%
69.06%
-4.83%
64.62%
-5.78%
2020-21 91.78%
25.40%
90.58%
21.51%
92.71%
28.09%
2021-22 95.01%
3.23%
94.01%
3.43%
95.99%
3.29%
2022-23 91.50%
-3.51%
90.05%
-3.96%
92.50%
-3.49%
2023-24 90.44%
-1.05%
89.66%
-0.39%
91.02%
-1.49%
2024-25 86.88%
-3.57%
84.86%
-4.80%
88.40%
-2.62%
Average 82.71% 82.85% 82.73%
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 25.31% in 2015 to 18.64% in 2025, representing a 26.36% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 22.37%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 26.36% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 25.31% 27.66% 23.38%
2016-17 23.08%
-2.23%
25.87%
-1.79%
20.74%
-2.65%
2017-18 23.05%
-0.03%
24.82%
-1.05%
21.61%
0.87%
2018-19 25.30%
2.25%
28.84%
4.03%
22.34%
0.73%
2019-20 29.06%
3.75%
31.77%
2.93%
26.73%
4.39%
2020-21 24.05%
-5.00%
27.21%
-4.56%
21.91%
-4.82%
2021-22 21.00%
-3.05%
25.98%
-1.23%
18.01%
-3.90%
2022-23 16.98%
-4.02%
19.33%
-6.66%
15.37%
-2.64%
2023-24 17.23%
0.25%
18.78%
-0.55%
16.15%
0.78%
2024-25 18.64%
1.40%
19.81%
1.03%
17.81%
1.66%
Average 22.37% 25.01% 20.40%
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 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 8,353, the average number of admitted is 6,976, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 1,501.

The number of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale applicants increased by 4.39% (457 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 1.79% overall.

The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale from 2015 to 2025.

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 10,667 8,602 2,177
2016-17 9,106
-14.63%
6,980
-18.86%
1,611
-26.00%
2017-18 7,961
-12.57%
6,051
-13.31%
1,395
-13.41%
2018-19 6,232
-21.72%
4,478
-26.00%
1,133
-18.78%
2019-20 5,377
-13.72%
3,569
-20.30%
1,037
-8.47%
2020-21 6,165
14.66%
5,658
58.53%
1,361
31.24%
2021-22 6,987
13.33%
6,638
17.32%
1,394
2.42%
2022-23 9,771
39.85%
8,940
34.68%
1,518
8.90%
2023-24 10,401
6.45%
9,407
5.22%
1,621
6.79%
2024-25 10,858
4.39%
9,433
0.28%
1,758
8.45%
Average 8,353 6,976 1,501
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares Southern Illinois University-Carbondale' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale90.44%86.88%-3.94%
Loyola University Chicago81.60%81.39%0.26%
Illinois State University88.15%89.01%-0.97%
Drake University63.85%64.13%-0.44%
Missouri State University-Springfield90.53%91.05%-0.57%
Valparaiso University89.43%92.22%-3.03%

Ratings & Review

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