# Lehigh University

Private nonprofit college in Bethlehem, PA. IPEDS ID 213543.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/lehigh-university · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/lehigh-university.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 26% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $36,931 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 88%; beats 95% of PA colleges and 95% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $105,584; beats 98% of PA colleges and 99% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $19,500

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $16,917 |
| 30-48k | $17,140 |
| 48-75k | $18,722 |
| 75-110k | $22,184 |
| 110k+ | $48,751 |

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 4.1 years on average (81% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $105,584 (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 | $16,917 | $69,360 | 1.0 years |
| 30-48k | $17,140 | $70,274 | 1.0 years |
| 48-75k | $18,722 | $76,760 | 1.1 years |
| 75-110k | $22,184 | $90,954 | 1.3 years |
| 110k+ | $48,751 | $199,879 | 2.9 years |

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

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $80,856
- Tuition and fees: $64,980
- Housing and meals: $16,470; books: $1,000

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 680–730; SAT math: 690–770; ACT: 31–34 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 18,415 applicants, 5,389 admitted, 1,531 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 26%, ACT 31–34 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 29%, ACT 31–33 (IPEDS Admissions)

### Common Data Set 2025-26 (Fall 2025)
- Very important: rigor, gpa; important: class rank, test scores, essay, recommendations, extracurriculars, talent, character, volunteer, interest; considered: interview, first generation, alumni relation, geography, state residency, work experience
- Early decision: yes; early action: not reported; waitlist: yes (80 admitted of 1988 who accepted a spot)
- Aid (full-time first-years): average 97% of need met; 431 of 687 with need fully met; merit aid to students without need: 177 students, average $21,666
- Source: https://data.lehigh.edu/sites/data.lehigh.edu/files/682026_CDS-2025-26_Revised_Published.pdf

## Majors (65 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $88,587 | $141,691 | $23,854 |
| Finance | $76,720 | $127,210 | $23,250 |
| Accounting | $77,026 | $125,874 | $23,179 |
| Industrial Engineering | $81,142 | $121,498 | $23,834 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $83,356 | $116,999 | $24,019 |
| Computer Engineering | $82,209 | $116,214 | $24,625 |
| Business Economics | $81,796 | $113,630 | $23,240 |
| Electrical Engineering | $79,119 | $108,503 | $22,754 |
| Business | not reported | $107,079 | not reported |
| Biomedical Engineering | $72,440 | $106,260 | $26,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $82,435 | $101,720 | $27,000 |
| Business Administration | $69,289 | $98,481 | $20,500 |
| Marketing | $55,236 | $98,320 | $20,534 |
| Materials Engineering | $74,971 | $97,904 | $26,324 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $75,479 | $96,618 | $24,950 |
| Civil Engineering | $73,545 | $91,856 | $27,000 |
| Interdisciplinary Studies | $74,734 | $91,697 | $24,960 |
| Political Science | $53,632 | $90,302 | $21,150 |
| Journalism | $45,256 | $81,935 | $19,500 |
| International Relations | $36,147 | $79,569 | $21,250 |
| Biology | $45,695 | $75,611 | $23,128 |
| Psychology | $40,942 | $74,939 | $21,160 |
| Geology / Earth Science | not reported | $72,978 | $19,707 |
| English | not reported | $71,474 | $19,707 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Architecture | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Area Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Public Relations and Advertising | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Information Science / Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Engineering Physics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Environmental Engineering | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Engineering, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| German | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Classics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biochemistry | not reported | not reported | $20,710 |
| Neuroscience | not reported | not reported | $22,863 |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Statistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Science, Technology and Society | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| International / Global Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Classical and Ancient Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Cognitive Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Data Analytics | 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 |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Anthropology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Sociology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Urban Studies / Affairs | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Music | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Pre-Med / Pre-Health | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Public Health | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Management Science / Analytics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Finance → Financial analyst: median wage $93,180 (Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ), $84,460 (PA), $102,740 (U.S.)
- Mechanical Engineering → Mechanical engineer: median wage $102,980 (Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ), $97,920 (PA), $104,110 (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).