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Lehigh University
Admission here is competitive but not lottery-odds: 29.3% got in from a pool of 18,415 (Fall 2023 cycle).
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Lehigh University sits in Bethlehem proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. International students are a visible presence here — 6.5% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Science, where graduates median $141,691 four years out. 17.7% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 5,898 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 93.7% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1350 and 1490 — above the PA middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Lehigh University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Lehigh University received 18,415 applications and admitted 5,389 (29.3%), with 1,531 enrolling.
Lehigh University is test-optional: scores are considered when submitted but not required. The 1350–1490 range below describes admitted students who chose to submit — typically Lehigh University's stronger testers — so treat it as the higher end of what gets in.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 670 | 710 | 730 |
| SAT Math | 680 | 720 | 760 |
| ACT Composite | 31 | 32 | 33 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How Lehigh University compares
| Lehigh University | Pennsylvania median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 25.9% | 82% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $64,980 | $33,730 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $105,584 | $62,101 | $53,781 |
Earnings data favors Lehigh University: $105,584 median at year ten, versus $62,101 across Pennsylvania institutions.
Cost, size & completion
Tuition runs $64,980 regardless of where you're from. At Lehigh University, that sticker is a starting point for aid talks — not what the median family pays.
At 5,898 undergrads, Lehigh University is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.
87.9% of Lehigh University students finish a bachelor's within six years — 33 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $64,980 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Lehigh University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | $141,691 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $127,210 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $125,874 |
| Industrial Engineering | $121,498 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $116,999 |
| Computer Engineering | $116,214 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $113,630 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $108,503 |
| Business/Commerce, General | $107,079 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $106,260 |
| Chemical Engineering | $101,720 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $98,481 |
| Marketing | $98,320 |
| Materials Engineering | $97,904 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $96,618 |
| Civil Engineering | $91,856 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $91,697 |
| Political Science and Government | $90,302 |
| Journalism | $81,935 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $79,569 |
| Biology, General | $75,611 |
| Psychology, General | $74,939 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $72,978 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $71,474 |
Median earnings for these 24 Lehigh University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $105,584 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 41 additional Lehigh University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Lehigh University?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1350–1490 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 25.9% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Lehigh University's acceptance rate?
29.3% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 5,389 admitted from 18,415 applicants.
How much does Lehigh University cost?
At Lehigh University, published tuition is $64,980 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Lehigh University's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Lehigh University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $105,584 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Pennsylvania
- Lafayette College — 31.4% admitted
- Franklin and Marshall College — 28.2% admitted
- University of Pittsburgh-Titusville — 34.8% admitted
- Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences — 29.3% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.