If you’re considering or preparing to apply to graduate schools in the U.S., you’re probably curious about the PhD acceptance rates for top PhD programs at leading universities. While PhD acceptance rates don’t tell the whole story, they can provide valuable insight into how competitive certain programs are. In this post, I’ll share statistics on the number of applicants and final admissions for PhD programs at four top U.S. universities, giving you a clearer picture of what you might be up against and how PhD acceptance rates and admission trends are evolving at each school.
Although I’ll provide some statistics on PhD acceptance rates, it’s important to remember that low PhD acceptance rates don’t necessarily indicate a “better” school, and higher rates don’t make a program easier to get into. Each PhD program in the U.S. has its own criteria for selection. Admission outcomes can also depend on the department, the availability of professors and research labs in your field, and the program size. So, rather than viewing PhD acceptance rates as a definitive measure, it’s better to see them as a general guideline to gauge the competitiveness of U.S. universities.
I’ll begin by sharing key statistics on PhD acceptance rates and will continue to update this post with more data on additional schools and programs as I gather further information.
For further reference, I’ve written a detailed post about applying to U.S. graduate schools. If you’re preparing for graduate school in the U.S., I hope you find it helpful as you work on your application.
Table of Contents
U.S. Graduate School Statistics Terminology
Before we dive into the statistics shared below, I’d like to briefly introduce some of the key terms used in these statistics that are necessary in understanding statistics on PhD acceptance rates.
- Application / Applied: This refers to the total number of people who applied to the PhD program in a particular department. It represents the total number of applicants.
- Accepted / Admitted: This indicates the number of applicants who were selected and offered admission to the PhD program.
- Enrolled / Matriculated: This represents the number of students who, after receiving an admission offer, chose to enroll at the university and officially began their studies.
- Selectivity / Acceptance Rate / Admission: This is the percentage of applicants who were admitted out of the total number of applicants, also known as the acceptance rate.
- Yield: Yield refers to the percentage of admitted students who ultimately decided to enroll at the school.
Selectivity (Acceptance Rate) vs Yield
For those encountering college admission statistics for the first time, the difference between selectivity (acceptance rate) and yield can be confusing. Since almost every applicant applies to more than one school, and many receive multiple admission offers, these two metrics serve different purposes. These are the most related terms to PhD acceptance rates.
Acceptance rate (selectivity) is the proportion of applicants who were admitted out of the total number of applicants. However, not all admitted students enroll at the school that accepts them. Many may receive admission offers from more than one university and choose to attend a different school. This is often the case for students who receive offers from top-tier schools like Stanford or MIT, or from a school renowned in their specific field of study.
This is where yield comes into play. Yield reflects the percentage of admitted students who actually decide to enroll at the university. It offers a glimpse into how many students prefer that program over others. A high yield indicates that a school is more likely to be a top choice, while a lower yield may suggest that it is used as a “backup” or “safety” option. Both PhD acceptance rates and yield provide valuable insights into the competitiveness and desirability of a program.
Schools and Programs
Universities
I’ll be using statistics from four top universities, including my own, the University of Michigan, to explain the admissions process for PhD programs. These statistics on PhD acceptance rates are available for the following institutions:
- Stanford University
- University of Michigan
- University of Texas at Austin
- Cornell University
Graduate Programs
For each of these universities, I’ll be focusing on two departments within the field of engineering that are closely related to my own experience. These are:
- Computer Science
- Electrical Engineering
Statistics on PhD Acceptance Rates
You can directly verify the statistics I used from the official websites linked below. If the data changes over time or if you’d like to explore statistics for departments I haven’t covered, you can find those details here as well.
PhD Acceptance Rates in the U.S.
Let’s now take a look at the PhD acceptance rates statistics for each department at the selected universities. The statistics provided below are for 2023 or the most recent available data.
Computer Science
Stanford University – Computer Science Fall 2023
- Total Applicants: 1,919
- Acceptance Rate: Approximately 6.3%
- Yield: Around 57%
- Final Enrollment: 68 students
The number of applicants aligns with the school’s strong reputation, especially compared to other top-tier institutions. However, it’s interesting to note that the yield is relatively low. One possible explanation is that many admitted students also received offers from similarly prestigious schools like MIT or Caltech, and ultimately chose those options.
Based on the data, it doesn’t appear that the school is increasing its student intake.
University of Michigan – Computer Science and Engineering Fall 2023
- Total Applicants: 1,302
- Acceptance Rate: Approximately 10%
- Yield: Around 40%
- Final Enrollment: 51 students
Given the overall size of the school, the final number of admitted students seems relatively small. However, considering that the University of Michigan has a strong reputation in Computer Science, the yield rate is still reasonably solid, indicating that many admitted students chose to enroll despite other competitive options.
University of Texas at Austin – Computer Science Fall 2023
In the case of UT Austin, it’s unclear whether the statistics for Computer Science represent only the PhD program or include the entire graduate program, as this detail wasn’t explicitly mentioned. Therefore, it’s best to treat this data as a general reference rather than directly comparing it to the other schools.
- Total Applicants: 3,843
- Acceptance Rate: Approximately 5.83%
- Yield: Around 25.45%
- Final Enrollment: 57 students
While the number of applicants is quite large, the relatively low yield suggests that many admitted students may have opted for other schools. Keep in mind that these numbers may reflect the overall graduate program, not just the PhD track.
Cornell University – Computer Science Fall 2023
- Total Applicants: 1,262
- Acceptance Rate: Approximately 13%
- Yield: Around 32%
- Final Enrollment: 54 students
It’s clear that Cornell is gradually increasing its student intake. Despite the common perception that Ivy League schools may not be as strong in engineering, Cornell has a well-established reputation in Computer Science, which makes it higher than I initially expected. While the final enrollment numbers are still in the 50s, similar to other top-tier schools, the trend suggests there may be room for further growth in the coming years.
Electrical Engineering
Stanford University – Electrical Engineering Fall 2023
- Total Applicants: 779
- Acceptance Rate: Approximately 9.2%
- Yield: Around 76%
- Final Enrollment: 55 students
One noticeable point is the lower number of applicants compared to Computer Science, which is a bit surprising given the school’s overall reputation. However, the high yield suggests that once students are admitted, many of them choose to attend, indicating that it’s likely difficult to receive additional offers from other schools. The total enrollment seems to be holding steady, without significant changes in recent trends.
University of Michigan – Electrical and Computer Engineering Fall 2023
- Total Applicants: 770
- Acceptance Rate: Approximately 14%
- Yield: Around 56%
- Final Enrollment: 60 students
Similar to Stanford, the lower number of applicants compared to the Computer Science program stands out. However, it’s clear that the student intake has increased this year, marking a notable change from previous trends where enrollment numbers remained steady. This suggests a shift in the program’s approach to accepting more students.
University of Texas at Austin – Electrical and Computer Engineering Fall 2023
In the case of UT Austin, the statistics provided for Electrical and Computer Engineering combine both master’s and PhD programs. Therefore, it’s challenging to make direct comparisons with the PhD-specific statistics from other schools.
- Total Applicants: 2,401
- Acceptance Rate: Approximately 11.58%
- Yield: Around 42.45%
- Final Enrollment: 118 students
With over 2,400 applicants, the PhD acceptance rate is moderate, but the yield rate suggests that many admitted students may choose other options. The final enrollment of 118 students is notably higher than the other programs discussed, reflecting the combined nature of the statistics.
Cornell University – Electrical and Computer Engineering Fall 2023
- Total Applicants: 555
- Acceptance Rate: Approximately 16%
- Yield: Around 54%
- Final Enrollment: 49 students
Compared to the other schools mentioned, and even to their Computer Science programs, the significantly smaller number of applicants is quite noticeable. However, there seems to be a slight upward trend in the number of enrolled students over the past 2–3 years, indicating a gradual increase in student intake. The relatively high acceptance and yield rates suggest that the program is quite selective, but also appealing to those who are admitted.
Conclusion on PhD Acceptance Rates
In this post, we explored the PhD acceptance rates at some of the top universities in the U.S., providing a data-driven look at how competitive these programs are. By analyzing the PhD acceptance rates, yield rates, and the number of applicants, we gained valuable insights into the selection process and the level of competition at each school. While these statistics are useful for understanding the competitiveness of a program, it’s important to remember that PhD acceptance rates alone don’t fully capture the quality or suitability of a program for your personal academic and career goals.
When choosing a graduate program, it’s crucial to go beyond just the PhD acceptance rates. Consider other factors like the faculty’s expertise, research opportunities, and career support after graduation. Finding a program that aligns with your goals requires thorough research and careful evaluation.
Graduate school is an important step in your academic and professional journey. Choosing a program with favorable PhD acceptance rates that also matches your personal ambitions will set you on the path to success. I hope this post has helped clarify the importance of these statistics and guides you toward selecting the best program for your future.