Home Colleges Pennsylvania Lehigh University
Private 4-Year Selective Bethlehem, PA NCAA Division I-FCS

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA

25.9%
Acceptance Rate
$84,700/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$36,931/yr
Avg Price After Aid
88.5%
6-yr Grad Rate
5,898
Undergrads

About Lehigh University

Lehigh University is a private nonprofit institution located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, situated in a small city setting. The university serves 5,898 undergraduate students with a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1.

Type
Private 4-Year
Undergrads
5,898
Avg Faculty Salary
$136,972
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FCS
Endowment
$1.9B
Pell Students
17.7%
First-Gen
16.9%
What Lehigh University Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Industrial Engineering 56 graduates · 4.1% of degrees here vs 0.24% nationally 17×
Business/Managerial Economics 43 graduates · 3.1% of degrees here vs 0.2% nationally 16×
Finance 186 graduates · 13.6% of degrees here vs 2.13% nationally
Computer Science 148 graduates · 10.8% of degrees here vs 2.26% nationally
Mechanical Engineering 89 graduates · 6.5% of degrees here vs 1.68% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
25.9%
Acceptance rate · Selective
18,415
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$36,931 avg net
Average net price after aid
$16,917
Under $30K income
$1.9B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$88,810 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
88.5%
6-yr Grad Rate
$21,960
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

Lehigh University Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
25.9%
18,415 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
10:1
Undergrad instruction

Lehigh University admits approximately one in four applicants, with a 25.9% acceptance rate, indicating selective admissions standards for prospective students.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 4 applicants is admitted · 18,415 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1370–1500
40080012001600
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 9,193 2,536 27.6% 763
Women 9,222 2,853 30.9% 768
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Lehigh University admits 25.9% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.

Acceptance rate
This school
25.9%
Similar colleges (1,009)
73.8%
PA (156)
81.1%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Lehigh University Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$36,931
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$21,960
Federal Loan Rate
36.6%
Students borrowing federal loans

Lehigh University's cost of attendance is $84,700, while the average net price is $36,931, meaning students typically pay significantly less than the sticker price after accounting for financial aid.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$84,700
Tuition & Fees
$64,980
77%
Room & Board
$17,220
20%
Books & Supplies
$1,000
1%
Other Expenses
$1,500
2%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$16,917
$30,001 – $48,000
$17,140
$48,001 – $75,000
$18,722
$75,001 – $110,000
$22,184
Over $110,000
$48,751
Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
95%
Federal loans
37%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $233.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, Lehigh University costs $36,931 a year — about 64% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$80,856
Similar colleges (1,094)
$49,718
PA (165)
$35,504
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
95.3%
Similar colleges (998)
91.8%
PA (216)
90.9%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$21,960
Similar colleges (1,032)
$24,977
PA (242)
$18,075
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$36,931
Similar colleges (1,105)
$22,585
PA (267)
$19,954
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Lehigh University Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
88.5%
Median Earnings 6yr
$88,810
6 years after entering

Lehigh University reports an 88.5% graduation rate and median earnings of $88,810 six years after entry and $105,584 ten years after entry.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$89,195
Men
$88,090
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
84.4%
Pell recipients
88.2%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Finance, General186
Computer Science148
Mechanical Engineering89
Biology/Biological Sciences, General64
Psychology, General63
Industrial Engineering56
Marketing/Marketing Management, General47
Business/Managerial Economics43
Accounting40
Chemical Engineering37
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Black
91.2%
White
89%
Asian
86.7%
Hispanic
82.2%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering Lehigh University are $97,731, and 90% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former Lehigh University students earn $88,810 — 95% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$105,584
Similar colleges (1,077)
$54,064
PA (252)
$50,729
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$88,810
Similar colleges (1,077)
$45,468
PA (257)
$43,203
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
88.5%
Similar colleges (1,074)
58.1%
PA (123)
59.6%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
93.2%
Similar colleges (1,117)
76.6%
PA (116)
78.7%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Lehigh University Campus, Athletics & Faculty

Lehigh University is a private institution located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a small city setting. The undergraduate student body of 5,898 includes 48% women, 17.7% Pell grant recipients, and 16.9% first-generation students.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
59.7%
Asian
10.8%
Hispanic
11.1%
Black
5%
Other Indicators
First-generation
16.9%
Pell grant recipients
17.7%
Women
48%
Lehigh University Athletics
Total Revenue
$16.1M
Total Expense
$16.1M
Athletes
790
435 men · 355 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$112,037
Women's sports
$72,321

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Athletic Aid
Scholarship spending by gender · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's aid
$8,271,324
Women's aid
$6,874,915
Academic Resources
593
Full-time faculty
$136,972
Avg faculty salary
5,004
FT staff
$1.9B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$145,114
Women (avg)
$124,392
Overall avg
$136,972
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
5,898
Graduate students
1,781
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
11.3%

646 of 5,732 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
0.1%
Undergrads taking any
5.7%
Grad students fully online
24.1%

5 of 5,811 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 429 of 1,779 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

Lehigh University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Lehigh University spends $12,677 per student on research — about a typical similar college.

Pell grant share
This school
17.7%
Similar colleges (1,171)
32.8%
PA (275)
38.9%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$12,677
Similar colleges (1,164)
$6,264
PA (145)
$6,519
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
10:1
Similar colleges (1,191)
12:1
PA (279)
12:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at Lehigh University
64 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
1,371 graduates
Business and Marketing 376 grads · 6 majors
Finance, General 186
Marketing/Marketing Management, General 47
Business/Managerial Economics 43
Accounting 40
Business/Commerce, General 34
Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain... 26
Engineering 304 grads · 11 majors
Mechanical Engineering 89
Industrial Engineering 56
Chemical Engineering 37
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 34
Civil Engineering, General 23
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 21
Computer Engineering, General 20
Environmental/Environmental Health... 8
Materials Engineering 8
Engineering, Other 7
Engineering Physics/Applied Physics 1
Computer and Information Sciences 163 grads · 2 majors
Computer Science 148
Information Technology 15
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 111 grads · 4 majors
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 64
Neuroscience 24
Biochemistry 13
Molecular Biology 10
Multidisciplinary Studies 78 grads · 5 majors
Business Analytics 26
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 24
Cognitive Science, General 19
International/Globalization Studies 5
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 4
Social Sciences 65 grads · 4 majors
Political Science and Government, General 36
International Relations and Affairs 14
Sociology, General 9
Anthropology, General 6
Psychology 63 grads · 1 major
Psychology, General 63
Health Professions 51 grads · 4 majors
Public Health Education and Promotion 36
Public Health, Other 10
Community Health and Preventive Medicine 4
Pre-Optometry Studies 1
Physical Sciences 30 grads · 4 majors
Geological and Earth... 12
Physics, General 8
Chemistry, General 7
Astrophysics 3
Communication and Journalism 24 grads · 2 majors
Journalism 23
Technical and Scientific Communication 1
Visual and Performing Arts 23 grads · 5 majors
Design and Visual Communications, General 14
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 4
Music, General 3
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 1
Art/Art Studies, General 1
Mathematics and Statistics 20 grads · 2 majors
Mathematics, General 16
Statistics, General 4
Architecture 16 grads · 1 major
Architecture 16
Natural Resources and Conservation 11 grads · 1 major
Environmental Studies 11
English Language and Literature 9 grads · 1 major
English Language and Literature, General 9
History 8 grads · 1 major
History, General 8
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 8 grads · 4 majors
African Studies 3
Women's Studies 3
Asian Studies/Civilization 1
Latin American Studies 1
Philosophy and Religious Studies 7 grads · 2 majors
Philosophy 6
Religion/Religious Studies 1
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 4 grads · 4 majors
Chinese Language and Literature 1
French Language and Literature 1
German Language and Literature 1
Spanish Language and Literature 1
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

Lehigh University Location & Campus Safety

Lehigh University is in Bethlehem, PA, in what IPEDS classifies as a small city setting. The campus sits about 1.5 miles from the center of Bethlehem. There are 9 other colleges within 25 miles, and Bethlehem, PA is 1.5 miles away.

Lehigh University
Small city
Campus Setting
1.5 mi
To City Center
9
Colleges Within 25 mi
77,069
Bethlehem Population
Living in Bethlehem
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$1,311
Median Rent / mo
$66,443
Median Household Income
31.5%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
70%
Walk
3.2%
Public transit
1.9%

Northampton County scores 11.3 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 11.5% of Bethlehem's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index

Campus Safety at Lehigh University

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures Lehigh University reported for 2024.

11
On-Campus Offenses
6
In Residence Halls
1.4
Per 1,000 Students
6
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
9
2023
9
2024
11
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Burglary
8
Sexual offenses
3

Separately, Lehigh University reported 20 arrests and 233 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Lehigh University admissions, costs, and outcomes.