National Universities Where Students Are Eager to Enroll

High school seniors aren’t the only ones who have to worry about making a good impression during the college admissions process. The schools themselves have to stand out from their competitors in the race to enroll the best students.

In fact, of the 265 research-oriented National Universities that provided data to U.S. News in an annual survey, only 25 could say that they enrolled more than half of the students they accepted for fall 2014.

See [the colleges where freshmen usually return for another year.]

Harvard University reported the highest yield, or percentage of accepted students who enrolled, of any National University for fall 2014. National Universities are schools that offer a full range of undergraduate majors, as well as master’s and doctoral degrees, and tend to emphasize research. Harvard had a yield of 80.9 percent, while Princeton University, the No. 1 National University in the 2016 Best Colleges rankings, had a yield of 66.2 percent.

The public university with the highest yield was the University of Alaska–Fairbanks, which enrolled 70.6 percent of its 1,164 accepted students in fall 2014. In all, 11 public universities had more than half of their admitted students go on to enroll during this period.

See the [liberal arts colleges where students are eager to enroll.]

The average yield among all reporting schools was 33.6 percent, slightly lower than the average of 34.1 percent for fall 2013.

Below are the fall 2014 yields for every National University that reported data 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 2014	Yield
Harvard University (MA)	2,045	1,654	80.9%
Brigham Young University–Provo (UT)	5,207	4,072	78.2%
Stanford University (CA)	2,145	1,678	78.2%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	1,447	1,043	72.1%
University of Alaska–Fairbanks	1,164	822	70.6%
Yale University (CT)	1,950	1,360	69.7%
Princeton University (NJ)	1,983	1,312	66.2%
Tennessee State University	2,085	1,377	66%
University of Pennsylvania	3,718	2,425	65.2%
Columbia University (NY)	2,291	1,424	62.2%
University of Chicago	2,409	1,447	60.1%
University of Nevada–Las Vegas	6,437	3,865	60%
Brown University (RI)	2,661	1,561	58.7%
Yeshiva University (NY)	1,393	809	58.1%
Georgia Southern University	6,107	3,498	57.3%
University of Nebraska–Lincoln	8,293	4,652	56.1%
University of Louisiana–Lafayette	5,237	2,922	55.8%
University of New Mexico	5,796	3,132	54%
University of Notre Dame (IN)	3,785	2,011	53.1%
Cornell University (NY)	6,105	3,225	52.8%
North Dakota State University	4,727	2,469	52.2%
Dartmouth College (NH)	2,220	1,152	51.9%
Georgia State University	7,144	3,696	51.7%
University of New Orleans	1,674	865	51.7%
Florida A&M University	2,456	1,237	50.4%
University of Florida	13,111	6,537	49.9%
Louisiana Tech University	3,813	1,857	48.7%
South Dakota State University	4,723	2,283	48.3%
Jackson State University (MS)	2,486	1,196	48.1%
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee	7,193	3,453	48%
Duke University (NC)	3,596	1,721	47.9%
University of North Dakota	3,992	1,906	47.7%
Texas A&M University–College Station	22,863	10,835	47.4%
University of Texas–Austin	15,381	7,285	47.4%
Georgetown University (DC)	3,384	1,578	46.6%
Northwestern University (IL)	4,416	2,043	46.3%
University of California–Berkeley	11,816	5,466	46.3%
Middle Tennessee State University	6,740	3,095	45.9%
Trinity International University (IL)	381	174	45.7%
University of Nevada–Reno	7,408	3,387	45.7%
University of Texas–El Paso	7,149	3,254	45.5%
University of Oklahoma	9,216	4,176	45.3%
University of Georgia	11,644	5,261	45.2%
Wright State University (OH)	5,067	2,284	45.1%
University of Texas–San Antonio	11,336	5,057	44.6%
Louisiana State University–Baton Rouge	12,706	5,655	44.5%
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill	8,929	3,976	44.5%
Oklahoma State University	9,188	4,057	44.2%
University of South Alabama	4,688	2,073	44.2%
University of Texas–Arlington	6,290	2,736	43.5%
Indiana University-Purdue University–Indianapolis	9,107	3,949	43.4%
East Tennessee State University	4,818	2,055	42.7%
Trevecca Nazarene University (TN)	752	320	42.6%
University of Memphis	5,558	2,365	42.6%
University of Texas–Dallas	5,938	2,520	42.4%
North Carolina State University–Raleigh	10,390	4,374	42.1%
Missouri University of Science & Technology	3,071	1,288	41.9%
University of Alabama–Huntsville	1,726	724	41.9%
University of North Texas	10,472	4,371	41.7%
Vanderbilt University (TN)	3,865	1,605	41.5%
University of Louisville (KY)	6,979	2,887	41.4%
University of Wisconsin–Madison	15,183	6,264	41.3%
Kansas State University	9,127	3,757	41.2%
University of Southern Mississippi	3,904	1,607	41.2%
University of Virginia	8,997	3,709	41.2%
Tufts University (MA)	3,287	1,348	41%
University of Nebraska–Omaha	4,514	1,848	40.9%
University of North Carolina–Greensboro	5,909	2,405	40.7%
University of Tennessee	11,555	4,701	40.7%
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry	816	331	40.6%
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor	16,047	6,505	40.5%
Arizona State University–Tempe	19,042	7,647	40.2%
North Carolina A&T State University	4,314	1,722	39.9%
University of Alabama	17,221	6,824	39.6%
University of Missouri	16,437	6,515	39.6%
University of South Dakota	3,146	1,247	39.6%
Johns Hopkins University (MD)	3,587	1,414	39.4%
Portland State University (OR)	4,184	1,644	39.3%
California Institute of Technology	576	226	39.2%
University of Central Florida	16,483	6,467	39.2%
Bowling Green State University (OH)	7,743	3,030	39.1%
University of Missouri–St. Louis	1,312	513	39.1%
Mississippi State University	7,646	2,974	38.9%
Texas Tech University	14,464	5,619	38.8%
University of Arkansas	11,777	4,571	38.8%
University of Missouri–Kansas City	2,786	1,073	38.5%
East Carolina University (NC)	10,992	4,226	38.4%
Lamar University (TX)	3,653	1,399	38.3%
University of Wyoming	4,089	1,567	38.3%
Iowa State University	15,990	6,041	37.8%
New Mexico State University	4,942	1,862	37.7%
Sam Houston State University (TX)	6,759	2,542	37.6%
Cleveland State University	4,222	1,574	37.3%
Old Dominion University (VA)	7,502	2,795	37.3%
University of Houston	10,915	4,048	37.1%
University of Montana	4,317	1,601	37.1%
Bowie State University (MD)	1,626	596	36.7%
Michigan State University	21,950	8,055	36.7%
Wichita State University (KS)	4,315	1,584	36.7%
Virginia Tech	15,067	5,494	36.5%
University of Washington	17,451	6,360	36.4%
West Virginia University	13,386	4,868	36.4%
Maryville University of St. Louis	1,134	412	36.3%
Ohio State University–Columbus	19,484	7,079	36.3%
University of Cincinnati	12,611	4,578	36.3%
Florida International University	8,380	3,013	36%
Florida State University	16,763	6,021	35.9%
University of California–Los Angeles	16,059	5,764	35.9%
University of Alabama–Birmingham	4,893	1,748	35.7%
Rice University (TX)	2,677	949	35.5%
University of Northern Colorado	5,551	1,969	35.5%
University of Utah	8,949	3,158	35.3%
University of Toledo (OH)	9,846	3,436	34.9%
New Jersey Institute of Technology	3,025	1,050	34.7%
University of Kentucky	14,930	5,185	34.7%
Washington University in St. Louis	5,004	1,734	34.7%
Morgan State University (MD)	3,137	1,078	34.4%
Virginia Commonwealth University	10,426	3,586	34.4%
Benedictine University (IL)	1,974	672	34%
New School (NY)	3,705	1,260	34%
Oregon State University	10,975	3,718	33.9%
Wake Forest University (NC)	3,826	1,287	33.6%
Ball State University (IN)	10,842	3,597	33.2%
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey–New Brunswick	19,324	6,412	33.2%
University of North Carolina–Charlotte	10,004	3,319	33.2%
University of Southern California	9,358	3,098	33.1%
Indiana University of Pennsylvania	8,293	2,733	33%
Lehigh University (PA)	3,945	1,299	32.9%
University of Maryland–College Park	12,556	4,129	32.9%
New York University	18,010	5,913	32.8%
University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign	21,150	6,937	32.8%
University of South Carolina	15,219	4,980	32.7%
Colorado State University	13,404	4,353	32.5%
Georgia Institute of Technology	8,641	2,809	32.5%
Auburn University (AL)	14,154	4,592	32.4%
Pennsylvania State University–University Park	25,295	8,183	32.4%
University of West Florida	4,229	1,371	32.4%
Utah State University	12,557	4,071	32.4%
Biola University (CA)	2,921	944	32.3%
Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ)	2,272	734	32.3%
Texas A&M University–Commerce	3,164	1,015	32.1%
Cardinal Stritch University (WI)	590	189	32%
Illinois State University	11,301	3,589	31.8%
Clemson University (SC)	10,967	3,475	31.7%
University of Arizona	24,417	7,744	31.7%
Andrews University (MI)	863	273	31.6%
Kent State University (OH)	13,607	4,292	31.5%
College of William and Mary (VA)	4,805	1,511	31.4%
Southern Illinois University–Carbondale	8,883	2,775	31.2%
Michigan Technological University	3,859	1,199	31.1%
University of Hawaii–Manoa	5,920	1,841	31.1%
Florida Atlantic University	9,867	3,060	31%
University of South Florida	13,285	4,116	31%
Oakland University (MI)	8,354	2,559	30.6%
Edgewood College (WI)	955	290	30.4%
University of St. Thomas (MN)	4,628	1,409	30.4%
Carnegie Mellon University (PA)	4,874	1,474	30.2%
Central Michigan University	12,672	3,773	29.8%
Washington State University	15,029	4,457	29.7%
Indiana State University	9,292	2,739	29.5%
Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi	6,687	1,965	29.4%
Texas Southern University	5,253	1,532	29.2%
Boston College	7,875	2,288	29.1%
University of Mississippi	13,077	3,809	29.1%
Texas Woman’s University	3,909	1,134	29%
George Washington University (DC)	8,351	2,416	28.9%
University of Akron (OH)	12,546	3,605	28.7%
Emory University (GA)	4,773	1,365	28.6%
Nova Southeastern University (FL)	2,130	602	28.3%
University of Kansas	14,414	4,084	28.3%
Ohio University	15,548	4,379	28.2%
University of Massachusetts–Lowell	5,825	1,642	28.2%
Duquesne University (PA)	4,774	1,343	28.1%
Indiana University–Bloomington	27,668	7,716	27.9%
University of Idaho	5,746	1,590	27.7%
Temple University (PA)	16,357	4,485	27.4%
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities	20,300	5,530	27.2%
Purdue University–West Lafayette (IN)	23,506	6,372	27.1%
University of Maryland–Baltimore County	6,090	1,629	26.7%
Ashland University (OH)	2,288	604	26.4%
University of Illinois–Chicago	11,598	3,030	26.1%
South Carolina State University	2,461	641	26%
American University (DC)	6,931	1,787	25.8%
San Diego State University	19,625	5,054	25.8%
St. Mary’s University of Minnesota	1,294	334	25.8%
University of Massachusetts–Boston	5,981	1,542	25.8%
University of Colorado–Denver	5,270	1,349	25.6%
Western Michigan University	11,775	3,012	25.6%
Montana State University	11,570	2,943	25.4%
University of Delaware	16,491	4,179	25.3%
Northern Illinois University	10,083	2,542	25.2%
University at Buffalo–SUNY	14,128	3,517	24.9%
University of Tulsa (OK)	3,074	764	24.9%
University of Oregon	15,997	3,961	24.8%
Azusa Pacific University (CA)	4,257	1,046	24.6%
Brandeis University (MA)	3,523	859	24.4%
Illinois Institute of Technology	1,801	440	24.4%
Syracuse University (NY)	14,260	3,470	24.3%
University of Colorado–Boulder	24,230	5,869	24.2%
University of Iowa	19,506	4,666	23.9%
Southern Methodist University (TX)	6,192	1,459	23.6%
University of Pittsburgh	16,271	3,847	23.6%
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (MA)	4,480	1,056	23.6%
Wayne State University (MI)	9,433	2,195	23.3%
University of Connecticut	15,629	3,588	23%
St. John Fisher College (NY)	2,605	597	22.9%
Texas Christian University	8,322	1,891	22.7%
University of Rochester (NY)	6,344	1,436	22.6%
Colorado School of Mines	4,501	999	22.2%
Howard University (DC)	6,661	1,479	22.2%
Miami University–Oxford (OH)	16,657	3,644	21.9%
University of California–Davis	24,541	5,377	21.9%
University of New Hampshire	14,740	3,227	21.9%
University of California–Irvine	24,890	5,435	21.8%
University of Maine	9,539	2,068	21.7%
University of Dayton (OH)	10,016	2,164	21.6%
University of Rhode Island	15,846	3,416	21.6%
University at Albany–SUNY	12,148	2,548	21%
Boston University	18,701	3,915	20.9%
Pepperdine University (CA)	3,161	656	20.8%
Binghamton University–SUNY	12,564	2,602	20.7%
Widener University (PA)	3,576	739	20.7%
George Mason University (VA)	15,017	3,078	20.5%
Stony Brook University–SUNY	13,938	2,855	20.5%
Tulane University (LA)	8,078	1,647	20.4%
University of Massachusetts–Amherst	22,804	4,642	20.4%
Lynn University (FL)	2,663	540	20.3%
University of California–Riverside	21,044	4,279	20.3%
Northern Arizona University	25,153	5,035	20%
Texas A&M University–Kingsville	5,432	1,086	20%
University of California–San Diego	24,595	4,921	20%
University of California–Santa Barbara	24,283	4,747	19.5%
Baylor University (TX)	18,766	3,625	19.3%
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)	6,976	1,331	19.1%
Saint Louis University	8,383	1,605	19.1%
DePaul University (IL)	13,649	2,544	18.6%
Northeastern University (MA)	16,052	2,944	18.3%
Loyola University Chicago	12,931	2,292	17.7%
The Catholic University of America (DC)	4,753	832	17.5%
University of California–Santa Cruz	22,914	3,990	17.4%
University of Miami (FL)	12,064	2,076	17.2%
University of San Diego	6,589	1,129	17.1%
Clarkson University (NY)	4,599	767	16.7%
Immaculata University (PA)	1,313	219	16.7%
Regent University (VA)	1,233	205	16.6%
Clark Atlanta University	4,352	717	16.5%
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey–Newark	6,483	1,017	15.7%
Case Western Reserve University (OH)	8,326	1,282	15.4%
Adelphi University (NY)	6,377	975	15.3%
Pace University (NY)	13,362	2,033	15.2%
University of La Verne (CA)	3,833	563	14.7%
Florida Institute of Technology	5,278	771	14.6%
University of San Francisco	10,478	1,502	14.3%
Clark University (MA)	3,946	548	13.9%
Marquette University (WI)	14,513	1,992	13.7%
University of Denver	10,456	1,424	13.6%
Our Lady of the Lake University (TX)	2,680	357	13.3%
Barry University (FL)	3,497	460	13.2%
Seton Hall University (NJ)	9,675	1,265	13.1%
University of Vermont	17,796	2,310	13%
Fordham University (NY)	19,685	2,258	11.5%
University of the Pacific (CA)	8,335	924	11.1%
Hofstra University (NY)	16,258	1,714	10.5%
St. John’s University (NY)	27,883	2,795	10%
Drexel University (PA)	36,088	2,928	8.1%

The yield data above are correct as of Jan. 25, 2016. For additional admissions data, complete rankings and much more, access the U.S. News College Compass.

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National Universities Where Students Are Eager to Enroll originally appeared on usnews.com