What is an acceptance rate?

An acceptance rate is a percentage that shows how many applicants are admitted to an institution, program, or opportunity out of the total number who applied. It's calculated by dividing the number of accepted applicants by the total number of applicants, then multiplying by 100. For example, if a university receives 10,000 applications and accepts 2,000 students, its acceptance rate is 20%.

Acceptance rates are commonly used to measure the selectivity of colleges, universities, graduate programs, job positions, grants, and competitive opportunities. A lower acceptance rate generally indicates higher selectivity and greater competition among applicants.

How is selectivity determined?

Institutions are often categorized by their acceptance rates into selectivity tiers:

  • Most Selective (under 10%): Elite institutions like Ivy League universities
  • Highly Selective (10-25%): Top-tier schools and competitive programs
  • Selective (25-50%): Well-regarded institutions with moderate competition
  • Moderately Selective (50-75%): Accessible programs with reasonable admission standards
  • Less Selective (above 75%): Open admission or minimal requirements

Tool description

This calculator helps you determine acceptance rates and related statistics from application data. Enter the total number of applicants and the number accepted to instantly calculate the acceptance rate, rejection rate, number of rejected applicants, odds of acceptance, and selectivity classification.

Examples

Total Applicants Accepted Acceptance Rate Rejection Rate Odds
50,000 2,500 5.00% 95.00% 1 in 20
10,000 2,000 20.00% 80.00% 1 in 5
500 350 70.00% 30.00% 1 in 1.4
1,000 100 10.00% 90.00% 1 in 10

Features

  • Instant calculation: Results update automatically as you type
  • Acceptance and rejection rates: View both percentages simultaneously
  • Odds calculation: See your chances expressed as "1 in X" format
  • Selectivity classification: Automatic categorization based on acceptance rate
  • Input validation: Prevents invalid entries like negative numbers or accepted counts exceeding applicants

Use cases

  • College planning: Research and compare university admission competitiveness before applying
  • Program evaluation: Assess the selectivity of graduate programs, fellowships, or scholarships
  • HR and recruitment: Calculate job offer acceptance rates to measure hiring funnel effectiveness
  • Grant applications: Understand funding competition levels for research proposals
  • Event planning: Determine acceptance rates for limited-capacity events, workshops, or conferences