40 Statistics Every College Admission Pro Needs To Know (2024)

Applications are booming, affordability remains paramount and standardized tests are fading.

The landscape of college admissions is shifting dramatically. To succeed at their jobs, admissions professionals must remain aware of a wide variety of trends to balance students’ preferences, parental concerns, government policies and their university’s goals for recruiting and admitting a new class each year. 

General College Admission Stats

1. 1,244,476 distinct first-year applicants applied to schools in 2023 — a 30% increase from 2020. (CommonApp)
2. 61.8% of high school (or equivalent) graduates go on to post-secondary study.
3. 54% of applicants came from ZIP codes in the top fifth of income, while just 7% of the applicant pool came from ZIP codes in the bottom fifth. (CommonApp)
4. The average acceptance rate for four-year colleges in the fall of 2022 was around 73%. (Appily)
5. 69% of all undergraduates attend college within 50 miles away from their permanent home address. (The Institute for College Access & Success)
6. The number of 18-year-olds is expected to shrink by -7.3% by 2030 (and 15% by 2039). (RNL)

Admission Department Stats

College admission departments shape the student body and ensure a strong fit between institutions and incoming students. They must accomplish this task while remaining frugal and efficient.

7. Admissions departments spend approximately 5 minutes reviewing applications (after filtering for academic standards) (Admit Report)

8. 80% of admission departments say they plan to incorporate AI into the review process sometime in 2024. (Inside Higher Ed)
9. The average time for schools with rolling admissions to respond to an application is 4-6 weeks. (US News)
10. Seven in 10 young adults who have applied/are applying to college feel those in the admission office really cared about their success. (NACAC)

Student College Choice Stats

Choosing the right college is one of the most consequential decisions students make in their young lives.

11. The top three factors in choosing a college are affordability (53%), student outcomes (39%), and flexibility and accessibility (e.g., hybrid/online program formats offered) (36%). (Best Colleges)
12. 62% of 2022 high school graduates say a college’s brand and name recognition influenced their decision; only 5% said that it didn’t matter. (College Match)
13. Safety and scholarships ranked the highest in college features, with over 90% of students calling them “important” or “very important.” (College Match)
14. 85% of decided students said their campus visit impacted their decision. (Momentous College Media)
15. 76% of students applying to college say completing their applications feels like such a momentous moment in their lives. (NACAC)
16. 61% have been overwhelmed by the advice they have been given related to applying to college. (NACAC)
17. 55% of students applied to colleges because they were given an application fee waiver. (Forbes)

Parent College Choice Stats

Parents also play a critical role in helping students select which schools to apply to and which schools to attend.

18. 70% of parents actively participate in their student’s college search. (Momentous Campus Media)
19. 70% of parents said cost was “extremely important” or “important” in deciding to which colleges their student should apply. (Forbes)
20. 84% use college websites — making them the biggest single source of information. (Forbes)
21. 61% also follow college Facebook accounts while in the search process. (Forbes)

Campus Tour Stats

Though diminished by COVID and supplemented digital tours, campus visits can often be the deciding factor for students in picking a school.

22. Admissions departments spend 10-13% of their marketing and recruitment budgets on admissions events. (RNL)
23. 34% of decided students said there were no memorable or defining moments in their campus visits. (Momentous College Media)
24. 62% of students still wanted more info after their campus visit.

25. 44% of campus visits by high school juniors are unofficial. (Encoura)

Admissions Testing Stats

Standardized admissions testing was on the decline before it plummeted during COVID. Now, some schools are bringing it back.

26.  The average total SAT score in 2023 was 1028. (Best Colleges)
27.  The average ACT score was 19.5, a 30-year low. (NY1)
28. The number of schools considering admission tests to be “considerably important” has plummeted from 50% in 2012 to just 5% in 2023. (NACAC)
29. Yet, 56% of young adults rank admissions tests in their Top 5 most important factors.
30. 75% of young adults believe test-optional or test-free admission “levels the playing field” for students of different backgrounds. (NACAC)
31. More than 80% of colleges did not require standardized tests for Fall 2023 admissions. (Forbes)

Diversity in Admissions Stats

Despite legal challenges, diverse student bodies remain important to both schools and students.

32. 347,644 under-represented minorities applied to at least one school in 2023, making up 27.9% of the total applicant pool. (CommonApp)
33. The number of first-generation applicants increased by 36% between 2020 and 2023. (CommonApp)
34. 84% of 2022 high school graduates preferred a diverse student body. (College Match)
35. Applications from international students increased 14.5% between 2022 and 2023 (while total applications only increased by 5.8%) (CommonApp) 

Financial Aid Stats

With affordability the number one consideration for parents and students, understanding financial aid is essential for admissions professionals.

36. 70% of full-time, first-year undergraduate students in 2021-2022 were awarded some type of financial aid. (Best Colleges)
37. The average grant and scholarship aid awarded to first-time, full-time students at four-year institutions was $15,960. (Best Colleges)
38. Non-Hispanic White and Asian undergraduates averaged $8,800 in federal aid. Black undergraduates and undergraduates of two or more races received $9,700, on average. Undergraduates who were Hispanic or Latino received $7,500. (NCES)
39. 74% of undergraduates who identified as female received some type of financial aid, compared to 68% who identified as male and 67% who identified as having a different gender identity. (NCES)
40. 610,000 additional students eligible for FAFSA grants (once that application breakdown is fixed). (StudentAid.gov)