Students may spend weeks, months or years stressing over which college to attend. Many colleges stress over the same thing,…
Students may spend weeks, months or years stressing over which college to attend.
Many colleges stress over the same thing, working to maximize the percentage of accepted students who decide to enroll.
Discover [10 colleges where applicants are least likely to get in.]
This figure is called yield, and a higher percentage can indicate a more desirable school for admitted students.
Among the 223 ranked National Liberal Arts Colleges reporting yield data to U.S. News, the average percentage of admitted students who enrolled in fall 2013 was 29.2 percent. These colleges award at least half of their degrees in the liberal arts.
When it came to individual colleges, yield ranged from 85.2 percent at the United States Naval Academy and the United States Military Academy to 5.9 percent at The King’s College in New York.
Another service academy, the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado, which is also ranked among National Liberal Arts Colleges, reported a high yield rate as well. Of the 1,486 students accepted, 77.7 percent chose to enroll.
Find out which [National Universities enroll the most accepted students.]
Below are the fall 2013 yield rates for every National Liberal Arts College that reported the statistic to U.S. News. The rate can be affected by a school’s early decision or early action options, as some of those programs bind students to attend if accepted. The data reflect first-time, first-year, degree-seeking students only.
| School (state) |
Students accepted |
Students who enrolled in fall 2013 |
Yield |
| United States Military Academy (NY) |
1,380 |
1,176 |
85.2% |
| United States Naval Academy (MD) |
1,408 |
1,200 |
85.2% |
| Principia College (IL) |
159 |
127 |
79.9% |
| United States Air Force Academy (CO) |
1,486 |
1,154 |
77.7% |
| Berea College (KY) |
551 |
397 |
72.1% |
| Rust College (MS) |
437 |
287 |
65.7% |
| University of Wisconsin–Parkside |
1,197 |
762 |
63.7% |
| Soka University of America (CA) |
183 |
112 |
61.2% |
| Louisiana State University–Alexandria |
656 |
391 |
59.6% |
| Thomas Aquinas College (CA) |
154 |
88 |
57.1% |
| Savannah State University (GA) |
2,309 |
1,289 |
55.8% |
| Grove City College (PA) |
1,233 |
648 |
52.6% |
| Claremont McKenna College (CA) |
647 |
337 |
52.1% |
| Barnard College (NY) |
1,151 |
580 |
50.4% |
| Virginia Military Institute |
890 |
448 |
50.3% |
| St. John’s College (NM) |
169 |
84 |
49.7% |
| University of Virginia–Wise |
727 |
346 |
47.6% |
| Bowdoin College (ME) |
1,054 |
497 |
47.2% |
| Simpson University (CA) |
318 |
150 |
47.2% |
| St. John’s College (MD) |
277 |
126 |
45.5% |
| Williams College (MA) |
1,200 |
544 |
45.3% |
| Wheaton College (IL) |
1,364 |
597 |
43.8% |
| Pitzer College (CA) |
597 |
261 |
43.7% |
| Wellesley College (MA) |
1,387 |
595 |
42.9% |
| West Virginia State University |
984 |
418 |
42.5% |
| Colorado Mesa University |
5,265 |
2,208 |
41.9% |
| Washington and Lee University (VA) |
1,147 |
480 |
41.8% |
| Wisconsin Lutheran College |
553 |
229 |
41.4% |
| Amherst College (MA) |
1,132 |
466 |
41.2% |
| Swarthmore College (PA) |
947 |
388 |
41% |
| Colorado College |
1,288 |
522 |
40.5% |
| Pomona College (CA) |
996 |
397 |
39.9% |
| Bucknell University (PA) |
2,345 |
933 |
39.8% |
| Davidson College (NC) |
1,215 |
483 |
39.8% |
| Bates College (ME) |
1,267 |
500 |
39.5% |
| Haverford College (PA) |
842 |
333 |
39.5% |
| Goshen College (IN) |
424 |
167 |
39.4% |
| Middlebury College (VT) |
1,595 |
625 |
39.2% |
| Bryn Athyn College of the New Church (PA) |
207 |
81 |
39.1% |
| Fort Lewis College (CO) |
2,240 |
876 |
39.1% |
| University of Hawaii–Hilo |
1,257 |
492 |
39.1% |
| Clearwater Christian College (FL) |
328 |
126 |
38.4% |
| St. John’s University (MN) |
1,313 |
497 |
37.9% |
| Hillsdale College (MI) |
942 |
353 |
37.5% |
| Bethany Lutheran College (MN) |
396 |
147 |
37.1% |
| Erskine College (SC) |
523 |
194 |
37.1% |
| Vassar College (NY) |
1,832 |
666 |
36.4% |
| Salem College (NC) |
498 |
181 |
36.3% |
| Calvin College (MI) |
2,792 |
1,006 |
36% |
| Hamilton College (NY) |
1,364 |
491 |
36% |
| Carleton College (MN) |
1,476 |
527 |
35.7% |
| Concordia College–Moorhead (MN) |
1,944 |
684 |
35.2% |
| Wesleyan College (GA) |
338 |
119 |
35.2% |
| Oberlin College (OH) |
2,262 |
781 |
34.5% |
| Colby College (ME) |
1,408 |
483 |
34.3% |
| College of St. Benedict (MN) |
1,569 |
538 |
34.3% |
| Judson College (AL) |
198 |
68 |
34.3% |
| Wesleyan University (CT) |
2,181 |
741 |
34% |
| Colgate University (NY) |
2,238 |
759 |
33.9% |
| Smith College (MA) |
1,897 |
643 |
33.9% |
| Bryn Mawr College (PA) |
1,081 |
365 |
33.8% |
| Harvey Mudd College (CA) |
643 |
217 |
33.7% |
| Saint Vincent College (PA) |
1,399 |
472 |
33.7% |
| St. Mary’s College (IN) |
1,310 |
437 |
33.4% |
| Western State Colorado University |
1,406 |
469 |
33.4% |
| Eastern Mennonite University (VA) |
698 |
232 |
33.2% |
| Simpson College (IA) |
1,146 |
377 |
32.9% |
| College of Idaho |
889 |
292 |
32.8% |
| University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma |
371 |
121 |
32.6% |
| Ouachita Baptist University (AR) |
1,220 |
393 |
32.2% |
| Scripps College (CA) |
849 |
272 |
32% |
| St. Olaf College (MN) |
2,372 |
752 |
31.7% |
| Pacific Union College (CA) |
1,063 |
335 |
31.5% |
| St. Norbert College (WI) |
1,711 |
539 |
31.5% |
| Franklin and Marshall College (PA) |
1,936 |
605 |
31.3% |
| William Jewell College (MO) |
828 |
259 |
31.3% |
| College of the Atlantic (ME) |
333 |
104 |
31.2% |
| Gettysburg College (PA) |
2,270 |
703 |
31% |
| Kenyon College (OH) |
1,555 |
480 |
30.9% |
| College of the Holy Cross (MA) |
2,346 |
722 |
30.8% |
| St. Lawrence University (NY) |
2,054 |
631 |
30.7% |
| University of Minnesota–Morris |
1,527 |
469 |
30.7% |
| Wabash College (IN) |
786 |
241 |
30.7% |
| Pine Manor College (MA) |
343 |
105 |
30.6% |
| Grinnell College (IA) |
1,395 |
423 |
30.3% |
| Houghton College (NY) |
735 |
223 |
30.3% |
| Mount Holyoke College (MA) |
1,747 |
527 |
30.2% |
| Shawnee State University (OH) |
3,688 |
1,104 |
29.9% |
| Eastern Nazarene College (MA) |
549 |
162 |
29.5% |
| Hobart and William Smith Colleges (NY) |
2,190 |
638 |
29.1% |
| Centenary College of Louisiana |
442 |
128 |
29% |
| Gordon College (MA) |
1,657 |
480 |
29% |
| Birmingham-Southern College (AL) |
1,240 |
356 |
28.7% |
| Berry College (GA) |
2,353 |
672 |
28.6% |
| Westminster College (MO) |
902 |
257 |
28.5% |
| Hope College (MI) |
2,931 |
832 |
28.4% |
| Shorter University (GA) |
1,087 |
309 |
28.4% |
| Connecticut College |
1,726 |
489 |
28.3% |
| Agnes Scott College (GA) |
896 |
252 |
28.1% |
| Hendrix College (AR) |
1,548 |
435 |
28.1% |
| Lycoming College (PA) |
1,244 |
347 |
27.9% |
| Purchase College–SUNY |
2,790 |
775 |
27.8% |
| Lafayette College (PA) |
2,310 |
635 |
27.5% |
| University of North Carolina–Asheville |
2,181 |
596 |
27.3% |
| Moravian College (PA) |
1,308 |
356 |
27.2% |
| Presbyterian College (SC) |
1,089 |
296 |
27.2% |
| Morehouse College (GA) |
1,797 |
485 |
27% |
| University of Maine–Machias |
386 |
104 |
26.9% |
| Kalamazoo College (MI) |
1,691 |
454 |
26.8% |
| New College of Florida |
834 |
222 |
26.6% |
| Rhodes College (TN) |
2,049 |
545 |
26.6% |
| Whitman College (WA) |
1,473 |
392 |
26.6% |
| Denison University (OH) |
2,193 |
582 |
26.5% |
| Southwestern University (TX) |
1,850 |
491 |
26.5% |
| University of Richmond (VA) |
3,061 |
805 |
26.3% |
| Xavier University of Louisiana |
2,560 |
674 |
26.3% |
| Union College (NY) |
2,134 |
559 |
26.2% |
| Bay Path University (MA) |
523 |
136 |
26% |
| Warren Wilson College (NC) |
845 |
220 |
26% |
| Hollins University (VA) |
571 |
148 |
25.9% |
| Huston-Tillotson University (TX) |
816 |
211 |
25.9% |
| Sweet Briar College (VA) |
763 |
197 |
25.8% |
| Wartburg College (IA) |
1,761 |
451 |
25.6% |
| Illinois Wesleyan University |
2,076 |
529 |
25.5% |
| Susquehanna University (PA) |
2,327 |
589 |
25.3% |
| Reed College (OR) |
1,404 |
354 |
25.2% |
| Luther College (IA) |
2,517 |
627 |
24.9% |
| Sarah Lawrence College (NY) |
1,723 |
427 |
24.8% |
| Trinity College (CT) |
2,432 |
604 |
24.8% |
| Sewanee–University of the South (TN) |
1,980 |
488 |
24.6% |
| Randolph College (VA) |
881 |
216 |
24.5% |
| Emory and Henry College (VA) |
1,093 |
267 |
24.4% |
| Macalester College (MN) |
2,283 |
555 |
24.3% |
| Muhlenberg College (PA) |
2,378 |
579 |
24.3% |
| Bloomfield College (NJ) |
1,758 |
426 |
24.2% |
| Castleton State College (VT) |
2,051 |
496 |
24.2% |
| Dickinson College (PA) |
2,589 |
625 |
24.1% |
| Ripon College (WI) |
992 |
238 |
24% |
| Spelman College (GA) |
2,325 |
559 |
24% |
| Bard College (NY) |
2,056 |
489 |
23.8% |
| Brevard College (NC) |
1,032 |
245 |
23.7% |
| Juniata College (PA) |
1,650 |
391 |
23.7% |
| Green Mountain College (VT) |
584 |
135 |
23.1% |
| Transylvania University (KY) |
1,275 |
295 |
23.1% |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts |
1,200 |
275 |
22.9% |
| Linfield College (OR) |
1,972 |
449 |
22.8% |
| Skidmore College (NY) |
2,904 |
660 |
22.7% |
| Lyon College (AR) |
769 |
174 |
22.6% |
| St. Mary’s College of Maryland |
1,704 |
383 |
22.5% |
| Northland College (WI) |
625 |
140 |
22.4% |
| Kentucky State University |
2,414 |
537 |
22.2% |
| Wofford College (SC) |
1,870 |
415 |
22.2% |
| Doane College (NE) |
1,307 |
287 |
22% |
| Maryville College (TN) |
1,594 |
349 |
21.9% |
| Burlington College (VT) |
211 |
46 |
21.8% |
| Centre College (KY) |
1,737 |
377 |
21.7% |
| SUNY College–Old Westbury |
1,939 |
416 |
21.5% |
| University of Pikeville (KY) |
1,804 |
386 |
21.4% |
| Bethany College (WV) |
859 |
183 |
21.3% |
| Occidental College (CA) |
2,574 |
548 |
21.3% |
| Coe College (IA) |
1,834 |
389 |
21.2% |
| Nebraska Wesleyan University |
1,780 |
378 |
21.2% |
| Earlham College (IN) |
1,204 |
254 |
21.1% |
| Alma College (MI) |
1,772 |
366 |
20.7% |
| Allegheny College (PA) |
2,927 |
604 |
20.6% |
| DePauw University (IN) |
3,113 |
641 |
20.6% |
| Monmouth College (IL) |
1,912 |
392 |
20.5% |
| Hampden-Sydney College (VA) |
1,439 |
292 |
20.3% |
| McDaniel College (MD) |
2,232 |
453 |
20.3% |
| Gustavus Adolphus College (MN) |
3,037 |
610 |
20.1% |
| Lawrence University (WI) |
1,970 |
395 |
20.1% |
| Randolph-Macon College (VA) |
1,909 |
382 |
20% |
| Furman University (SC) |
3,802 |
756 |
19.9% |
| Austin College (TX) |
1,839 |
364 |
19.8% |
| Westmont College (CA) |
1,505 |
298 |
19.8% |
| Hiram College (OH) |
1,449 |
285 |
19.7% |
| Beloit College (WI) |
1,525 |
299 |
19.6% |
| Georgetown College (KY) |
1,242 |
243 |
19.6% |
| Bennington College (VT) |
733 |
140 |
19.1% |
| Knox College (IL) |
1,994 |
381 |
19.1% |
| Lake Forest College (IL) |
2,110 |
403 |
19.1% |
| Millsaps College (MS) |
902 |
171 |
19% |
| Guilford College (NC) |
2,066 |
391 |
18.9% |
| Cornell College (IA) |
1,471 |
270 |
18.4% |
| Augustana College (IL) |
3,421 |
627 |
18.3% |
| Bridgewater College (VA) |
2,967 |
536 |
18.1% |
| Wheaton College (MA) |
2,537 |
458 |
18.1% |
| St. Anselm College (NH) |
2,820 |
508 |
18% |
| Eckerd College (FL) |
2,534 |
453 |
17.9% |
| Roanoke College (VA) |
3,034 |
542 |
17.9% |
| College of Wooster (OH) |
3,145 |
560 |
17.8% |
| Ohio Wesleyan University |
3,035 |
540 |
17.8% |
| Albright College (PA) |
3,776 |
655 |
17.3% |
| Illinois College |
1,569 |
270 |
17.2% |
| American Jewish University (CA) |
41 |
7 |
17.1% |
| University of Puget Sound (WA) |
3,910 |
670 |
17.1% |
| Central College (IA) |
1,870 |
309 |
16.5% |
| Whittier College (CA) |
2,771 |
446 |
16.1% |
| Goucher College (MD) |
2,505 |
401 |
16% |
| Hanover College (IN) |
2,118 |
334 |
15.8% |
| Claflin University (SC) |
2,469 |
385 |
15.6% |
| St. Michael’s College (VT) |
3,328 |
512 |
15.4% |
| Drew University (NJ) |
2,656 |
400 |
15.1% |
| Tougaloo College (MS) |
1,028 |
154 |
15% |
| Carthage College (WI) |
5,035 |
714 |
14.2% |
| Siena College (NY) |
5,428 |
765 |
14.1% |
| Albion College (MI) |
2,498 |
346 |
13.9% |
| Dillard University (LA) |
1,675 |
229 |
13.7% |
| Allen University (SC) |
1,333 |
181 |
13.6% |
| Marymount Manhattan College (NY) |
3,096 |
418 |
13.5% |
| Johnson C. Smith University (NC) |
1,751 |
232 |
13.2% |
| Stonehill College (MA) |
4,643 |
610 |
13.1% |
| Virginia Wesleyan College |
3,463 |
453 |
13.1% |
| Westminster College (PA) |
2,478 |
307 |
12.4% |
| Wells College (NY) |
1,321 |
161 |
12.2% |
| Wittenberg University (OH) |
4,612 |
549 |
11.9% |
| Lewis & Clark College (OR) |
4,059 |
477 |
11.8% |
| Hartwick College (NY) |
4,542 |
528 |
11.6% |
| Willamette University (OR) |
4,690 |
545 |
11.6% |
| Oglethorpe University (GA) |
2,455 |
282 |
11.5% |
| Washington and Jefferson College (PA) |
2,851 |
326 |
11.4% |
| Washington College (MD) |
3,088 |
349 |
11.3% |
| The King’s College (NY) |
2,158 |
127 |
5.9% |
The yield data above are correct as of Jan. 21, 2015. For additional admissions data, complete rankings and much more, access the U.S. News College Compass.
More from U.S. News
3 Holistic College Admissions Trends to Watch
Avoid These Top College Admissions Interview Mistakes
Master the College Video Admissions Interview With These Tips
Liberal Arts Colleges Where the Most Accepted Students Enroll originally appeared on usnews.com
