Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at Williams

123.90%

Applicants - since 2015

-9.35%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at Williams over the past 10 years is 12.62%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 8.25%. Williams is highly selective, and gaining admission is challenging for most applicants.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 44.48%, and the 2025 yield is 43.00%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 5.41% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of Williams applicants increased by 34.42% (3,946 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 123.90% overall.

Key Takeaways: Williams Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 8.25%, representing an increasingly selective admissions process. This indicates that Williams has become more competitive over the past decade, as the institution receives a growing number of applications while maintaining or reducing the number of admitted students.

Yield Rate & Enrollment Patterns

The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 43.00%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Williams. 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, Williams received approximately 15,411 applications, admitted 1,272 students, and enrolled 547 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Williams 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

Williams 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Williams over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 12.62%, while the most recent rate stands at 8.25%. 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 8.25%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 12.96% and for women is 12.36%.

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

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 17.61% 18.70% 16.59%
2016-17 17.61%
0.00%
18.14%
-0.56%
17.13%
0.54%
2017-18 14.58%
-3.03%
15.73%
-2.41%
13.55%
-3.58%
2018-19 12.97%
-1.61%
12.86%
-2.88%
13.07%
-0.48%
2019-20 12.60%
-0.37%
12.86%
0.01%
12.37%
-0.70%
2020-21 15.12%
2.52%
15.44%
2.58%
14.83%
2.46%
2021-22 9.00%
-6.12%
9.00%
-6.44%
9.01%
-5.83%
2022-23 8.50%
-0.50%
8.84%
-0.16%
8.19%
-0.82%
2023-24 9.99%
1.49%
9.99%
1.15%
10.07%
1.88%
2024-25 8.25%
-1.73%
7.99%
-2.00%
8.79%
-1.28%
Average 12.62% 12.96% 12.36%
Williams College Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

Williams has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 45.46% in 2015 to 43.00% in 2025, representing a 5.41% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 44.48%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Williams from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 5.41% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 45.46% 45.18% 45.76%
2016-17 44.96%
-0.50%
47.92%
2.74%
42.13%
-3.63%
2017-18 43.74%
-1.22%
47.81%
-0.11%
39.51%
-2.62%
2018-19 42.98%
-0.75%
44.54%
-3.26%
41.63%
2.12%
2019-20 44.61%
1.62%
42.71%
-1.83%
46.30%
4.67%
2020-21 36.46%
-8.15%
38.69%
-4.02%
34.36%
-11.94%
2021-22 52.01%
15.55%
51.08%
12.39%
52.95%
18.59%
2022-23 44.32%
-7.69%
43.49%
-7.58%
45.02%
-7.93%
2023-24 47.25%
2.93%
48.75%
5.26%
47.19%
2.17%
2024-25 43.00%
-4.25%
44.85%
-3.90%
43.57%
-3.62%
Average 44.48% 45.50% 43.84%
Williams College 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 10,513, the average number of admitted is 1,232, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 546.

The number of Williams applicants increased by 34.42% (3,946 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 123.90% overall.

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

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 6,883 1,212 551
2016-17 6,985
1.48%
1,230
1.49%
553
0.36%
2017-18 8,593
23.02%
1,253
1.87%
548
-0.90%
2018-19 9,560
11.25%
1,240
-1.04%
533
-2.74%
2019-20 9,715
1.62%
1,224
-1.29%
546
2.44%
2020-21 8,744
-9.99%
1,322
8.01%
482
-11.72%
2021-22 12,452
42.41%
1,121
-15.20%
583
20.95%
2022-23 15,321
23.04%
1,302
16.15%
577
-1.03%
2023-24 11,465
-25.17%
1,145
-12.06%
541
-6.24%
2024-25 15,411
34.42%
1,272
11.09%
547
1.11%
Average 10,513 1,232 546
Williams College - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares Williams College' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
Williams College9.99%8.25%-17.42%
Boston University11.11%10.85%2.40%
Northeastern University5.22%5.65%-7.61%
Harvard University3.65%3.45%5.80%
Boston College16.43%15.65%4.98%
Tufts University11.49%10.13%13.43%

Ratings & Review

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