Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at Washington State

28.82%

Applicants - since 2015

7.00%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at Washington State over the past 10 years is 79.88%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 86.64%. The acceptance rate at Washington State is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 25.83%, and the 2025 yield is 19.72%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 34.33% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of Washington State applicants decreased by 2.69% (704 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 28.82% overall.

Key Takeaways: Washington State Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 86.64%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Washington State 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 19.72%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Washington State. 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, Washington State received approximately 25,462 applications, admitted 22,060 students, and enrolled 4,350 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Washington State 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.

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Acceptance Rate Changes

Washington State 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Washington State over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 79.88%, while the most recent rate stands at 86.64%. 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 86.64%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 78.43% and for women is 80.88%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 79.64% 77.47% 81.31%
2016-17 72.05%
-7.60%
69.33%
-8.14%
74.00%
-7.31%
2017-18 73.06%
1.02%
71.86%
2.53%
73.93%
-0.07%
2018-19 77.19%
4.13%
75.61%
3.76%
78.30%
4.37%
2019-20 75.80%
-1.39%
74.70%
-0.92%
76.60%
-1.71%
2020-21 79.95%
4.15%
77.64%
2.94%
81.61%
5.01%
2021-22 86.00%
6.05%
84.00%
6.36%
87.00%
5.39%
2022-23 83.10%
-2.89%
82.07%
-1.93%
83.85%
-3.14%
2023-24 85.36%
2.25%
85.40%
3.33%
85.33%
1.48%
2024-25 86.64%
1.28%
86.25%
0.86%
86.90%
1.57%
Average 79.88% 78.43% 80.88%
Washington State University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

Washington State has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 30.03% in 2015 to 19.72% in 2025, representing a 34.33% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 25.83%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Washington State from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 34.33% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 30.03% 32.95% 27.88%
2016-17 27.06%
-2.97%
30.67%
-2.28%
24.62%
-3.26%
2017-18 27.97%
0.92%
30.77%
0.10%
26.03%
1.40%
2018-19 29.38%
1.40%
31.55%
0.78%
27.90%
1.87%
2019-20 29.62%
0.24%
31.22%
-0.33%
28.49%
0.59%
2020-21 24.73%
-4.89%
25.87%
-5.36%
23.95%
-4.54%
2021-22 26.00%
1.27%
28.99%
3.13%
24.00%
0.05%
2022-23 24.75%
-1.25%
28.24%
-0.75%
22.28%
-1.72%
2023-24 19.02%
-5.73%
21.54%
-6.70%
17.29%
-5.00%
2024-25 19.72%
0.69%
22.14%
0.59%
18.09%
0.81%
Average 25.83% 28.40% 24.05%
Washington 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 22,019, the average number of admitted is 17,590, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 4,469.

The number of Washington State applicants decreased by 2.69% (704 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 28.82% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 19,766 15,742 4,727
2016-17 23,223
17.49%
16,731
6.28%
4,527
-4.23%
2017-18 22,565
-2.83%
16,487
-1.46%
4,612
1.88%
2018-19 22,773
0.92%
17,579
6.62%
5,164
11.97%
2019-20 21,434
-5.88%
16,247
-7.58%
4,812
-6.82%
2020-21 21,198
-1.10%
16,947
4.31%
4,191
-12.91%
2021-22 18,197
-14.16%
15,649
-7.66%
4,069
-2.91%
2022-23 19,401
6.62%
16,123
3.03%
3,991
-1.92%
2023-24 26,166
34.87%
22,335
38.53%
4,249
6.46%
2024-25 25,462
-2.69%
22,060
-1.23%
4,350
2.38%
Average 22,019 17,590 4,469
Washington State University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

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

20242025Change %
Washington State University85.36%86.64%1.50%
University of California-Los Angeles8.97%8.73%2.75%
Arizona State University Campus Immersion89.89%90.19%-0.33%
University of Arizona86.14%85.66%0.56%
University of Utah85.98%87.17%-1.37%
University of Colorado Boulder78.08%83.28%-6.24%

Ratings & Review

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