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Colleges / Lehigh University

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA 4-Year Private
Acceptance Rate37%

About Lehigh

For more than 150 years, Lehigh’s interdisciplinary nature and focus on the work of today has prepared students to take on the challenges of tomorrow. Located in Bethlehem, part of Pennsylvania's beautiful Lehigh Valley, Lehigh is one of the nation's most distinguished private research universities. Our ideal size of around 5,000 undergraduates and 2,000 grad students is large enough to offer world-class faculty and rigorous academics, but small enough to allow for close mentorship and hands-on research. Through creative problem solving, a collaborative culture and a focus on impacting humanity, Lehigh students are built for future success.

Lehigh University Overview

Lehigh University is a private, nonprofit school in a suburban setting in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Lehigh was founded in 1865 and now enrolls around 7,067 students a year, including 5,203 undergrads. Lehigh offers housing for up to 3,466 students. Most students live in off campus housing, and 99% of students spend their weekends on campus.

There are many ways for students to get involved at Lehigh! Love music or performing? Join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of Lehigh's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? Lehigh students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Thinking of pledging? Lehigh has fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? Lehigh has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at Lehigh on the Student Life page.

Learn more about life at Lehigh on the Student Life page.

Mark your calendar! The final application deadline for Fall 2022 is January 15. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2022 should receive admissions decisions by March 27.

2021 Lehigh Facts At-A-Glance
Academic Calendar Semester
Overall Acceptance Rate 50%
Early Decision Acceptance Rate 73%
Early Action Acceptance Rate EA not offered
Applicants Submitting SAT scores 70%
Tuition $56,980
Percent of Need Met 98%
Average First-Year Financial Aid Package $49,422

Is Lehigh a Good School?

The definition of a "good school" is different for different people. Admissions difficulty and admitted student statistics can give you a sense of how selective a university is, but they don't tell you how happy or successful students are. There are a few statistics that can give you a good idea of how satisfied students are and how well a school supports its students.

Let's take a look at to get a better sense of what Lehigh offers and if it could be a good choice for you.

Lehigh Acceptance Rate 2021

It is extremely difficult to get into Lehigh. Around 50% of applicants get into Lehigh each year. In 2021, just 6,138 out of the 12,389 students who applied were accepted.

Retention and Graduation Rates at Lehigh

Retention is the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. This is a way to get a sense of how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

About 91% of students who start at Lehigh come back the next year.Lehigh's six-year graduation rate for undergrads is 88%. Compare this to the average six-year graduation rate for colleges and universities in the U.S., which is around 61% for public schools and 67% for private.

Job Outcomes for Lehigh Grads

Job placement rates after graduation and average starting salaries can all give important clues about the value of a degree from a specific school. Within six months of graduating, 66% of graduates receive at least one full-time job offer.

The average starting salary for recent Lehigh grads is $66,794 a year. Average starting salaries vary by discipline, but the average starting salary for all 2021 graduates was around $60,000 a year.

Lehigh's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students. As of 2021, the total market value of the school endowment was $1.37 billion. The average college endowment was $905 million in 2021.

Tuition and Financial Aid at Lehigh

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need. Lehigh meets 98% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. First-year students that attend Lehigh full-time are awarded $49,422 a year in financial aid, on average.

The average student debt for graduates in the class of 2021 was around $35,371 per student, not including those with no debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2022-2023 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2021

Some financial aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA early. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so don't give your money (or info!) to any website that claim you do.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at Lehigh. Based on this information, how does Lehigh sound? Remember, the best school for one person may be a terrible fit for someone else! So ask yourself: Is Lehigh a good school for you?

If Lehigh University seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

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Then use the college admissions predictor to take a data science look at your chances of getting accepted at some of the most selective colleges and universities in the U.S.

Where is Lehigh University Located?

Lehigh is located in the suburban setting of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, less than an hour from Philadelphia.

If you want to see Lehigh for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 78 to Bethlehem, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Lehigh Valley International.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what Lehigh and Bethlehem are like without leaving home.

Considering Colleges in Pennsylvania?

See a full list of colleges in Pennsylvania and save your favorites to your college list.

College Info

27 Memorial Drive West Bethlehem, PA 18015

Campus Setting: Suburban

Lehigh Application Deadline

First-Year Applications are Due

Jan 15

Transfer Applications are Due

Apr 1

The deadline for Fall first-year applications to Lehigh is Jan 15.

The deadline for Fall transfer applications to Lehigh is Apr 1.

Check the school website for more information about deadlines for specific programs or special admissions programs

Lehigh University is a member of the Coalition for College.

More than an application, the Coalition provides free tools and resources to help students through the college admissions process, beginning as early as 9th grade.

Learn More

Lehigh SAT Scores

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Composite SAT Range

1350 - 1480

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Math SAT Range

680 - 770

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Reading SAT Range

660 - 720

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

SAT Score

Estimated Chance

1480 and Above

Good

1350 to 1480

Avg

1350 and Less

Low

SAT Scores Needed to Get Accepted

The median SAT score for Lehigh students is 1409. Applicants with SAT scores of 1480 and above have a good chance of being admitted to Lehigh, while applicants with SAT scores between 1350 to 1480 have an average chance of admittance, and prospective students with an SAT score below 1350 have a low chance of being offered a spot at Lehigh.

Lehigh Tuition & Fees

Tuition & Fees

$78,650

In State

$78,650

Out-of-State
Cost Breakdown
In State
Out-of-State
State Tuition
$61,180
$61,180
Fees
$1,000
$1,000
Housing
$16,470
$16,470
Books
Unknown
Unknown

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Student Life

Wondering what life at Lehigh is like? There are approximately 7,394 students enrolled at Lehigh, including 5,624 undergraduate students and 1,770 graduate students. 99% percent of students attend school full-time, 27% percent are from PA and 73% percent of students are from other states.

99%

Full Time

1%

Part Time

27%

In State

73%

Out-of-State

Data Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved

Quick Facts

Total Enrollment

7,394

Campus Setting

Suburban

Acceptance Rate

37%

Tuition and Fees

In State

$62,180

Out-of-State

$62,180

Fall Freshmen
Application Deadline

Jan 15
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