# Lafayette College

Private nonprofit college in Easton, PA. IPEDS ID 213385.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/lafayette-college · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/lafayette-college.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 32% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $34,433 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 88%; beats 94% of PA colleges and 95% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $91,410; beats 96% of PA colleges and 97% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $14,000

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,716 |
| 30-48k | $7,445 |
| 48-75k | $10,881 |
| 75-110k | $12,581 |
| 110k+ | $52,608 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.11 years on average (80% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $91,410 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| 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 |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $83,133
- Tuition and fees: $65,398
- Housing and meals: $18,640; books: $1,000

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 670–740; SAT math: 680–760; ACT: 31–33 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 9,874 applicants, 3,107 admitted, 697 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 32%, ACT 31–33 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 32%, ACT 30–33 (IPEDS Admissions)

### Common Data Set 2025-26 (Fall 2025)
- Very important: rigor, gpa; important: class rank, test scores, essay, recommendations, interview, extracurriculars, talent, character, interest; considered: first generation, alumni relation, geography, volunteer, work experience
- Early decision: yes (356 of 937 admitted); early action: not reported; waitlist: yes (171 admitted of 1316 who accepted a spot)
- Average high school GPA of enrolled first-years: 3.56
- Source: https://oir.lafayette.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/196/2026/01/CDS2025-2026.pdf

## Majors (36 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Engineering | $79,602 | $115,726 | $17,000 |
| Economics | $68,164 | $112,864 | $19,500 |
| Engineering | $76,507 | $104,222 | not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | $72,481 | $101,348 | $19,500 |
| Political Science | $48,112 | $87,904 | $13,640 |
| Biology | $41,885 | $82,109 | $17,000 |
| Psychology | $36,235 | $73,435 | $16,000 |
| English | not reported | $53,050 | $16,500 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Area Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Civil Engineering | $70,391 | not reported | $16,000 |
| Electrical Engineering | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Engineering, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| German | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biochemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Neuroscience | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematical Economics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Geology / Earth Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Psychology (Research) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| International Relations | $58,433 | not reported | $16,620 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | $43,321 | not reported | $17,549 |
| Social Sciences, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Film and Photography | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Music | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Mechanical Engineering → Mechanical engineer: median wage $102,980 (Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ), $97,920 (PA), $104,110 (U.S.)
- Biology → Biological technician: median wage $44,960 (Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ), $54,950 (PA), $57,510 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).