Bates College Acceptance Rate
Lewiston, Maine · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 8,937
- Admitted
- 1,164
- Yield
- 43.4%
- Test policy
- Test-optional
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, Bates College's acceptance rate has fallen from 25.4% in 2014–15 to 13% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 5,044 to 8,937 (+77%) over that period.
Its 13% rate makes Bates College more selective than about 97% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 15 tracked Maine schools, it is more selective than about 80%.
Bates College has been test-optional since 2022–23. Of admitted students, 43.4% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 5,044 | 1,282 | 25.4% | 491 |
| 2015–16 | 5,651 | 1,231 | 21.8% | 517 |
| 2016–17 | 5,356 | 1,213 | 22.6% | 484 |
| 2017–18 | 5,316 | 1,166 | 21.9% | 494 |
| 2018–19 | 7,685 | 1,367 | 17.8% | 522 |
| 2019–20 | 8,222 | 998 | 12.1% | 499 |
| 2020–21 | 7,696 | 1,085 | 14.1% | 479 |
| 2021–22 | 7,319 | 1,267 | 17.3% | 553 |
| 2022–23 | 8,273 | 1,137 | 13.7% | 518 |
| 2023–24 | 8,937 | 1,164 | 13% | 505 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 4,684 | 622 | 13.3% |
| Men | 4,253 | 542 | 12.7% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-optional (considered if submitted).
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | % submitting |
|---|---|---|
| SAT EBRW | 700–740 | 14% |
| SAT Math | 700–770 | |
| ACT Composite | 31–33 | 8% |
How Bates College compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is Bates College's acceptance rate?
Bates College's acceptance rate is 13% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (1,164 admitted of 8,937 applicants).
Is Bates College test optional?
Bates College is test-optional: SAT/ACT scores are considered if submitted but not required.
How many people apply to Bates College?
Bates College received 8,937 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 1,164.
What SAT score do you need for Bates College?
Admitted students at Bates College typically scored 700–740 on SAT Reading/Writing and 700–770 on SAT Math (middle-50% ranges).
Is Bates College getting harder to get into?
Bates College has become harder to get into: its acceptance rate went from 25.4% in 2014–15 to 13% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: www.bates.edu/.