
Cleveland Institute of Music's overall acceptance rate has seen a downward trend in recent years. For the Class of 2026 (application year 2022), the acceptance rate fell to 36.2% with 378 applicants and 137 accepted, compared to 32.8% with 456 applicants in 2021. The rates have fluctuated slightly; for example, it was 34.1% in 2020 and peaked at 43% in 2017. Since 2015, the acceptance rate has generally decreased from a high of 46.8% to the current figures, reflecting increasing competitiveness among applicants.