Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at WSU

69.66%

Applicants - since 2015

1.29%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at WSU over the past 10 years is 74.35%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 81.16%. The acceptance rate at WSU is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 26.38%, and the 2025 yield is 22.39%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 30.15% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of WSU applicants increased by 11.79% (1,791 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 69.66% overall.

Key Takeaways: WSU Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 81.16%, demonstrating consistent admission standards over the past decade. The stability of this rate suggests that WSU 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 22.39%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at WSU. 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, WSU received approximately 16,981 applications, admitted 13,781 students, and enrolled 3,085 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that WSU 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

WSU 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at WSU over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 74.35%, while the most recent rate stands at 81.16%. 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 81.16%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 74.67% and for women is 74.43%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 79.87% 80.91% 79.13%
2016-17 81.46%
1.59%
81.82%
0.91%
81.21%
2.08%
2017-18 67.41%
-14.05%
67.80%
-14.02%
67.14%
-14.06%
2018-19 71.15%
3.74%
71.22%
3.43%
71.10%
3.96%
2019-20 73.14%
1.99%
74.62%
3.39%
72.48%
1.38%
2020-21 69.01%
-4.13%
69.89%
-4.73%
68.87%
-3.62%
2021-22 63.00%
-6.01%
63.99%
-5.90%
63.00%
-5.87%
2022-23 75.33%
12.33%
75.82%
11.83%
75.16%
12.17%
2023-24 82.03%
6.71%
81.12%
5.31%
83.25%
8.09%
2024-25 81.16%
-0.88%
79.55%
-1.58%
82.94%
-0.31%
Average 74.35% 74.67% 74.43%
Wayne State University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

WSU has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 32.05% in 2015 to 22.39% in 2025, representing a 30.15% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 26.38%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at WSU from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 30.15% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 32.05% 33.97% 30.65%
2016-17 28.64%
-3.41%
30.05%
-3.91%
27.66%
-2.99%
2017-18 25.67%
-2.97%
26.60%
-3.45%
25.04%
-2.61%
2018-19 26.34%
0.67%
27.63%
1.03%
25.56%
0.51%
2019-20 25.82%
-0.52%
27.07%
-0.56%
25.43%
-0.12%
2020-21 26.45%
0.63%
26.50%
-0.57%
26.80%
1.37%
2021-22 28.00%
1.55%
29.99%
3.50%
26.99%
0.19%
2022-23 24.43%
-3.57%
25.08%
-4.92%
23.67%
-3.32%
2023-24 23.98%
-0.45%
23.09%
-1.99%
22.48%
-1.19%
2024-25 22.39%
-1.59%
23.46%
0.37%
20.95%
-1.53%
Average 26.38% 27.34% 25.52%
Wayne 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 14,681, the average number of admitted is 10,854, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 2,826.

The number of WSU applicants increased by 11.79% (1,791 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 69.66% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 10,009 7,994 2,562
2016-17 11,093
10.83%
9,036
13.03%
2,588
1.01%
2017-18 15,331
38.20%
10,334
14.36%
2,653
2.51%
2018-19 16,210
5.73%
11,533
11.60%
3,038
14.51%
2019-20 15,716
-3.05%
11,495
-0.33%
2,968
-2.30%
2020-21 17,093
8.76%
11,796
2.62%
3,120
5.12%
2021-22 15,181
-11.19%
9,564
-18.92%
2,678
-14.17%
2022-23 14,002
-7.77%
10,547
10.28%
2,577
-3.77%
2023-24 15,190
8.48%
12,461
18.15%
2,988
15.95%
2024-25 16,981
11.79%
13,781
10.59%
3,085
3.25%
Average 14,681 10,854 2,826
Wayne State University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

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

20242025Change %
Wayne State University82.03%81.16%-1.06%
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor15.64%17.94%-12.82%
Michigan State University84.80%83.92%1.05%
Grand Valley State University83.02%94.69%-12.32%
Western Michigan University84.60%84.68%-0.09%
Oakland University87.84%70.24%25.06%

Ratings & Review

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