Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at Widener

72.48%

Applicants - since 2015

2.94%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at Widener over the past 10 years is 74.65%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 70.93%. Compared to the previous year, it became much more competitive to gain admission to Widener in 2025. The acceptance rate at Widener is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 16.35%, and the 2025 yield is 13.81%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 39.96% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of Widener applicants increased by 30.46% (2,183 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 72.48% overall.

Key Takeaways: Widener Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 70.93%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Widener 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 13.81%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Widener. 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, Widener received approximately 9,350 applications, admitted 6,632 students, and enrolled 916 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Widener 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

Widener 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Widener over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 74.65%, while the most recent rate stands at 70.93%. 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 70.93%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 73.79% and for women is 75.32%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 67.99% 68.98% 67.24%
2016-17 69.73%
1.73%
71.70%
2.72%
68.39%
1.15%
2017-18 65.43%
-4.30%
66.09%
-5.61%
64.96%
-3.43%
2018-19 69.20%
3.77%
70.16%
4.07%
68.52%
3.55%
2019-20 71.90%
2.70%
72.44%
2.28%
71.51%
2.99%
2020-21 74.58%
2.68%
75.83%
3.40%
73.66%
2.14%
2021-22 85.00%
10.42%
81.02%
5.19%
88.01%
14.35%
2022-23 87.69%
2.69%
85.18%
4.16%
89.67%
1.66%
2023-24 84.02%
-3.66%
81.22%
-3.96%
86.14%
-3.53%
2024-25 70.93%
-13.09%
65.31%
-15.91%
75.15%
-11.00%
Average 74.65% 73.79% 75.32%
Widener University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

Widener has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 23.01% in 2015 to 13.81% in 2025, representing a 39.96% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 16.35%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Widener from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 39.96% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 23.01% 23.75% 22.42%
2016-17 20.23%
-2.78%
21.14%
-2.61%
19.58%
-2.84%
2017-18 19.90%
-0.33%
21.30%
0.17%
18.90%
-0.68%
2018-19 17.44%
-2.46%
18.76%
-2.54%
16.47%
-2.43%
2019-20 16.97%
-0.47%
19.13%
0.37%
15.41%
-1.07%
2020-21 14.02%
-2.95%
15.64%
-3.50%
12.80%
-2.61%
2021-22 13.00%
-1.02%
13.02%
-2.61%
13.02%
0.22%
2022-23 10.25%
-2.75%
10.44%
-2.58%
10.11%
-2.90%
2023-24 14.85%
4.59%
13.38%
2.94%
15.89%
5.78%
2024-25 13.81%
-1.03%
13.44%
0.06%
14.06%
-1.83%
Average 16.35% 17.00% 15.87%
Widener 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 6,325, the average number of admitted is 4,721, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 748.

The number of Widener applicants increased by 30.46% (2,183 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 72.48% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 5,421 3,686 848
2016-17 5,176
-4.52%
3,609
-2.09%
730
-13.92%
2017-18 6,045
16.79%
3,955
9.59%
787
7.81%
2018-19 6,422
6.24%
4,444
12.36%
775
-1.52%
2019-20 6,245
-2.76%
4,490
1.04%
762
-1.68%
2020-21 5,739
-8.10%
4,280
-4.68%
600
-21.26%
2021-22 5,719
-0.35%
4,861
13.57%
632
5.33%
2022-23 5,961
4.23%
5,227
7.53%
536
-15.19%
2023-24 7,167
20.23%
6,022
15.21%
894
66.79%
2024-25 9,350
30.46%
6,632
10.13%
916
2.46%
Average 6,325 4,721 748
Widener University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

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

20242025Change %
Widener University84.02%70.93%-15.58%
University of Pennsylvania5.40%5.87%-8.01%
Drexel University79.44%77.53%2.46%
Carnegie Mellon University11.66%11.40%2.28%
Villanova University26.98%25.12%7.40%
Eastern University90.77%93.62%-3.04%

Ratings & Review

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