# Lehigh University: Business Economics (bachelor's)

Bethlehem, PA. IPEDS 213543, CIP 52.06. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/lehigh-university/majors/business-economics

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $81,796
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $113,630 (U.S. median for this major: $80,165 across 83 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $23,240 (U.S. median $22,419)
- Rank in PA: 2 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: +$33,465

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.1 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $113,630 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 | under 1 year |
| 30-48k | $17,140 | $70,274 | under 1 year |
| 48-75k | $18,722 | $76,760 | 1.0 years |
| 75-110k | $22,184 | $90,954 | 1.2 years |
| 110k+ | $48,751 | $199,879 | 2.6 years |

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

## Business Economics at PA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villanova University | $123,614 | $27,000 | $43,756 | 92% |
| Lehigh University | $113,630 | $23,240 | $36,931 | 88% |

## Careers
- Management Analysts (SOC 13-1111): median wage $95,780 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, $93,830 PA, $101,860 U.S.; U.S. jobs 10.1% by 2035
- Financial Risk Specialists (SOC 13-2054): median wage $102,600 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, $103,040 PA, $117,330 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.4% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

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).