Lehigh University
#2 Best Online Colleges in Pennsylvania- Graduation Rate
- 89% A
- Most students who enroll finish their degree here
- Earnings (10yr)
- $105,584 A+
- Top 1% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $36,931 F
- 116% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 26% A
- Admits roughly 26% — highly selective
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 17.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $17.7 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Best Online Colleges in Pennsylvania.
Every $1 spent returns $17.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,460,946.
What The Data Says
-
A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduates earn 159% more than the national college median.
-
A 89% graduation rate — 55% above the national average.
-
Inventor rate in the top 10% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.
-
A top feeder school for 3 major employers.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 2.3%
- Top 10%
- Patents
- 216
- Linked to graduates
- World Rank
- #301-350
- Times Higher Education
- Employer Pipelines
- 3
- Top feeder programs
- Patent Citations
- 290
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 18/100
- Times Higher Education
Why Lehigh University Matters
Lehigh University is a private research university in Bethlehem, PA ranked #301-350 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by selective admissions, a strong research base, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 1% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R2 · High Research
- Enrollment
- 5,898
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Engineering, Computer Science & IT, Biology & Biomedical
Why students choose Lehigh University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Selective — admits about 26% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1370–1500. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $36,931 a year after grants and scholarships — 116% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $105,584 ten years after enrolling — 159% above the typical college, against $21,960 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.9% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 32% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.84 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, is a great fit for students who are looking for a balance of academic rigor and a vibrant campus life. With an acceptance rate of 26%, it attracts motivated individuals who are interested in fields like Business & Marketing, Engineering, and Computer Science. The strong emphasis on these programs means students can expect a well-rounded education that prepares them for today’s job market.
After graduation, Lehigh alumni see impressive earnings, with a median salary of $105,584 just ten years post-degree. This figure highlights the university's strong return on investment for graduates, especially in high-demand fields. While the affordability of higher education is a concern for many, the net price here is $36,931 after financial aid, making it a manageable option for those willing to invest in their future.
On the financial side, graduates typically carry a median debt of $21,960, which is relatively low compared to national averages. This manageable debt load means that many students can thrive here, particularly those who are proactive about their education and take advantage of the resources available. Lehigh is especially welcoming to students who are ready to engage deeply with both their studies and the community.
Rankings
- #2 Best Online Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #2 Best Business Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #3 Highest-Paying Colleges for Public Health
- #3 Best MBA Programs in Pennsylvania
- #3 Best MBA Programs for International Business
- #4 Best Engineering Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #5 Best Computer Science Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #5 Best Data Science Colleges in Pennsylvania
Can I Get In?
How selective Lehigh University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Lehigh University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Lehigh University reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 26%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,440. The graduation rate is roughly 89%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 26%
- Retention Rate
- 94%
- SAT Average
- 1440
- ACT Midpoint
- 32
- SAT Range
- 1370–1500
- ACT Range
- 31–34
- Full-Time Faculty
- 85%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $15,219
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 10:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.61
- First-Gen Students
- 17%
- Applicants
- 15,163
- Admitted
- 5,607
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2025-26
The acceptance rate tells you how hard Lehigh University is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 27% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school many admits weigh against other offers.
- Yield Rate
- 27%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 33%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 10%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Early Decision Admit Rate
- 47.4%
- vs 29.0% overall
Applying early pays off here. Of 2,040 Early Decision applicants, 966 were admitted — a 47.4% admit rate, roughly 1.6× the 29.0% rate for the overall pool. That binding round alone filled about 63% of the entering class (966 of 1,535 first-years). The catch: Early Decision is a commitment you make before you can compare aid offers.
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 43% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Lehigh University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Lehigh University is $64,980, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $36,931. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $16,917 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,960 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $64,980
- Out-of-State
- $64,980
- Avg Net Price
- $36,931
- Median Debt
- $21,960
- Pell Grant Rate
- 18%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 37%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $16,917
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $17,140
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $18,722
- Family Income $110K+
- $48,751
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Lehigh University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Lehigh University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Lehigh University earn a median of $105,584, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $88,810
- 8 Years
- $97,731
- 10 Years
- $105,584
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.21x
- Earning > $25K
- 90%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (1,019)
- 79%
- 100% (1,019)
- 79%
- 100% (1,019)
- 79%
- 100% (1,019)
- 79%
Where Grads Go
Lehigh University is a top feeder for:
Rank among programs feeding each employer.
Top employers of Lehigh University’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.
- Axtria ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2024
- Amazon ✓ VerifiedTechnology · Class of 2024
- BNP Paribas ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2024
- Charles Schwab Corp. ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2024
- Clauser Environmental ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2024
- EFE Laboratories ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2024
- Fidelity International ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2024
- Goldman Sachs ✓ VerifiedFinance & banking · Class of 2024
- Key and V Auto Sales ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2024
- PwC ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2024
- Ramp Business Corporation ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2024
- Sichuan Rongyue Education Tech. ✓ VerifiedTechnology · Class of 2024
- Tradefull ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2024
- United Nations ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2024
- Valtris Specialty Chemicals ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2024
How Lehigh Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Lehigh University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Lehigh University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $36,931/year ($147,724 total). Graduates earn $105,584 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,608,670 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,460,946 (17.7× your investment). The median debt is $21,960, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 89% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $147,724
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,608,670
- Net Return
- $2,460,946
- ROI Multiple
- 17.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $36,931
- Median Debt
- $21,960
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 89%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Lehigh University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Lehigh University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.87%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 3.3% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 57% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $138,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.87%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 57.0%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 3.3%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $187,901
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Lehigh University produces inventors at an exceptional rate — the top 10% of U.S. colleges, with 216 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 18/100 research score.
- Inventor Rate
- 2.29%
- Top 10% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 216
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 290
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 18/100
- Times Higher Ed
- Academic Influence
- 45/100
- Citation impact (THE)
- Industry Engagement
- 39/100
- Knowledge transfer (THE)
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 4.10%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-38,757,000
Top Programs
The fields Lehigh University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 23% $88,095 early-career
- Engineering 22% $89,855 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 13% $97,208 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 7% $45,495 early-career
- Social Sciences 7% $55,595 early-career
- Psychology 6% $50,714 early-career
- Health Professions 4%
- Physical Sciences 3% $72,503 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Lehigh University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Lehigh University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Lehigh University reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 26%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,440. The graduation rate is roughly 89%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Lehigh University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Lehigh University is $64,980, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $36,931. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $16,917 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,960 in federal student loans.
Is Lehigh University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Lehigh University earn a median of $105,584, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does Lehigh University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Lehigh University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.87%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 3.3% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 57% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $138,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Lehigh University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Lehigh University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
How Research-Intensive Is Lehigh University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places Lehigh University at #301-350 worldwide. Its profile spans a research score of 18/100, teaching at 20/100, and citation impact of 45/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
Does Lehigh University offer Early Decision, and does it improve admission chances?
Yes. Lehigh University offers a binding Early Decision plan, and it carries a real advantage: Early Decision applicants were admitted at 47%, about 1.6 times the overall 29% acceptance rate, and ED filled roughly 63% of the entering class. Because ED is binding, it makes sense only if Lehigh University is a clear first choice and you can commit before comparing aid offers (2025-26 Common Data Set).
Is Lehigh University really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 43% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at Lehigh University (2025-26 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at Lehigh University?
About 27% of admitted students choose to enroll at Lehigh University — its yield rate (2025-26 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
Compare Lehigh University
- vs Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- vs Stanford University
- vs Babson College
- vs Bentley University
- vs Carnegie Mellon University
- vs Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
- vs University of Pennsylvania
- vs Princeton University
- vs Cornell University
- vs Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
- vs Santa Clara University
- vs Western Governors University
- vs Stevens Institute of Technology
- vs Boston College
- vs Georgetown University
- vs Columbia University in the City of New York
- vs Harvard University
- vs University of Notre Dame
- vs Yale University
- vs Villanova University
- vs University of Southern California
- vs Southern New Hampshire University
- vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- vs Duke University
Show all 99 comparisons →
- vs University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- vs Dartmouth College
- vs Northeastern University
- vs Texas A&M University-College Station
- vs Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
- vs Brown University
- vs University of Maryland-College Park
- vs Colorado School of Mines
- vs University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- vs University of Virginia-Main Campus
- vs University of Chicago
- vs Washington and Lee University
- vs New York University
- vs Vanderbilt University
- vs The University of Texas at Austin
- vs Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- vs Northwestern University
- vs University of California-Berkeley
- vs George Washington University
- vs Bucknell University
- vs Rice University
- vs Purdue University-Main Campus
- vs Boston University
- vs Lafayette College
- vs University of Wisconsin-Madison
- vs Johns Hopkins University
- vs Rutgers University-New Brunswick
- vs College of the Holy Cross
- vs Washington University in St Louis
- vs Williams College
- vs Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- vs Case Western Reserve University
- vs Trinity College
- vs University of Florida
- vs Brigham Young University
- vs Fairfield University
- vs Bryant University
- vs Providence College
- vs Fordham University
- vs Tufts University
- vs Drexel University
- vs Union College
- vs Colgate University
- vs University of San Francisco
- vs University of California-San Diego
- vs Wellesley College
- vs Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
- vs Clarkson University
- vs Binghamton University
- vs California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- vs Bowdoin College
- vs Michigan State University
- vs University of California-Los Angeles
- vs Syracuse University
- vs University of Georgia
- vs Emory University
- vs University of Central Florida
- vs George Mason University
- vs New Jersey Institute of Technology
- vs University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- vs Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
- vs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- vs Barnard College
- vs Pepperdine University
- vs Quinnipiac University
- vs Davidson College
- vs Ohio State University-Main Campus
- vs Clemson University
- vs Swarthmore College
- vs University of Connecticut
- vs Colby College
- vs Loyola University Maryland
- vs University of Massachusetts-Amherst
- vs University of Portland
- vs Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Lehigh University.
- Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA · Close peer92% grad $100,423 earn 27% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC · Close peer95% grad $103,494 earn 13% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA · Close peer91% grad $103,937 earn 16% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Bucknell UniversityLewisburg, PA · Close peer86% grad $93,807 earn 29% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, OH · Close peer87% grad $87,989 earn 37% acceptWhy: similar grad rate · similar size
- Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PA · Close peer93% grad $114,862 earn 12% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Lehigh University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Lehigh University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note