# Lehigh University: Materials Engineering (bachelor's)

Bethlehem, PA. IPEDS 213543, CIP 14.18. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/lehigh-university/majors/materials-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $74,971
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $97,904 (U.S. median for this major: $91,799 across 34 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $26,324 (U.S. median $23,492)
- Rank in PA: 1 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: +$6,105

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.1 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $97,904 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 | 1.1 years |
| 30-48k | $17,140 | $70,274 | 1.1 years |
| 48-75k | $18,722 | $76,760 | 1.2 years |
| 75-110k | $22,184 | $90,954 | 1.5 years |
| 110k+ | $48,751 | $199,879 | 3.2 years |

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

## Materials Engineering at PA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh University | $97,904 | $26,324 | $36,931 | 88% |
| Drexel University | $94,694 | $31,000 | $38,509 | 78% |

## Careers
- Cost Estimators (SOC 13-1051): median wage $76,810 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, $78,480 PA, $78,740 U.S.; U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $166,180 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, $164,690 PA, $171,270 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Materials Engineers (SOC 17-2131): median wage $116,510 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, $98,030 PA, $112,860 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.5% 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).