More selective than 91% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $83,133. College Scorecard.
Higher than 94% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 95% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 96% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 97% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Lafayette College acceptance rate & admissions
Of 9,874 applicants, Lafayette College admitted 3,107 and 697 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1350–1500 on the SAT or 31–33 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Lafayette College tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Pennsylvania residents with financial need may receive a PA State Grant: up to $6,000 a year in 2026-27 at approved colleges, depending on need and the college. Not included in the prices above. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), PA State Grant
What Lafayette College costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Lafayette College took 4.1 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Pennsylvania. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $12,716 | $52,263 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $7,445 | $30,599 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $10,881 | $44,721 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $12,581 | $51,708 | under 1 year |
| $110k+ | $52,608 | $216,219 | 3.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (80% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($91,410) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $55,613 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Lafayette College majors, earnings & careers
Lafayette College offers 36 bachelor's majors across 7 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 10
- Science & Math · 8
- Engineering · 6
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Arts & Design · 4
- Business & Finance · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Lafayette College
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical Engineering | $115,726 | $17,000 |
| Economics | $112,864 | $19,500 |
| Engineering | $104,222 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | $101,348 | $19,500 |
| Political Science | $87,904 | $13,640 |
| Biology | $82,109 | $17,000 |
| Psychology | $73,435 | $16,000 |
| English | $53,050 | $16,500 |
Quick list of all 36 majors
- Area Studies—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$82,109
- Chemical Engineering$115,726
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Economics$112,864
- Electrical Engineering—
- Engineering$104,222
- Engineering, Other—
- English$53,050
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- History—
- International Relations—
- Mathematical Economics—
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering$101,348
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Neuroscience—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$87,904
- Psychology$73,435
- Psychology (Research)—
- Religious Studies—
- Social Sciences, Other—
- Sociology and Anthropology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Mechanical Engineering → Mechanical engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 11.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Biology → Biological technician
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Allentown
Overall prices in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,839. Housing costs 6% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 51 inches of rain a year, 41 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: river flooding (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Northampton County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Northampton County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Lafayette College with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Pennsylvania by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette College | 31% | $34,433 | 88% | $91,410 | This school |
| Bucknell University | 29% | $40,766 | 86% | $93,807 | |
| Franklin and Marshall College | 28% | $36,425 | 84% | $76,124 | |
| Bryn Mawr College | 29% | $31,759 | 82% | $75,217 | |
| Gettysburg College | 39% | $31,490 | 83% | $71,517 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Lafayette College would cost you $6,333 less per year than Bucknell University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Lafayette College, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$2,414).
- Lafayette College gives aided families $5,710 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Pennsylvania resident | Lafayette College | Bucknell University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $65,398 | $67,812 | −$2,414 |
| Books & supplies | $1,000 | $900 | +$100 |
| Housing & meals | $18,640 | $16,118 | +$2,522 |
| Personal & travel | $1,150 | $2,000 | −$850 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,055 | −$3,074 | +$19 |
| Sticker price | $83,133 | $83,756 | −$623 |
| Average grants | −$48,700 | −$42,990 | −$5,710 |
| You pay | $34,433 | $40,766 | −$6,333 |
“+” means Lafayette College costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Lafayette College
What is the Lafayette College acceptance rate?
Lafayette College accepts 31% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 3,107 of 9,874 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1350–1500 on the SAT or 31–33 on the ACT.
How much does Lafayette College cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $83,133 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $34,433 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $12,716 and families earning $110k+ pay $52,608.
How much do Lafayette College graduates earn?
Former Lafayette College students earn a median $91,410 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Lafayette College graduation rate?
88% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 90% return for their second year.
How long does a Lafayette College degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Lafayette College costs about $44,721 after grants ($10,881 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $91,410 ten years after starting, $55,613 more than high school graduates in Pennsylvania ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in under 1 year of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Lafayette College: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/lafayette-college (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).