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Bethlehem , PA
Lehigh University is a prestigious private research university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1865, the university offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various disciplines. Lehigh is known for its strong emphasis on experiential learning, interdisciplinary education, and commitment to innovation.
At Lehigh, students have the opportunity to choose from over 100 majors and minors, including engineering, business, arts, humanities, and natural sciences. The university's student-faculty ratio is low, allowing for personalized attention and close collaborations between professors and students. Lehigh's faculty consists of accomplished scholars, researchers, and experts in their fields, providing students with a high-quality education that combines theoretical knowledge with practical applications.
Beyond academics, Lehigh University offers a vibrant campus life with numerous extracurricular activities, organizations, and athletics. The campus houses state-of-the-art facilities, including research labs, libraries, and athletic centers. Lehigh's athletic teams, known as the Mountain Hawks, compete in Division I of the NCAA and have a strong tradition of success in a variety of sports.
Overall, Lehigh University provides a dynamic and intellectually stimulating environment for students to grow academically, personally, and professionally. With its rigorous academic programs, commitment to innovation, and supportive community, Lehigh prepares its graduates to become leaders, critical thinkers, and global citizens in their chosen fields.
Located in Bethlehem, PA and set in a suburban environment, Lehigh University is a private university. This educational institution operates on a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 25%. The freshman retention rate at Lehigh University is 93.7% and the six-year graduation rate is 88%.
For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is January 20. The transfer application deadline is November 11.
Explore this school's profile to find out the most important things about Lehigh University.
Quick Facts
5,911
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$66,810
Tuition
10:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
88%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Here are the most important data you have to know about admission policy and requirements at Lehigh University.
According to the most recent data, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 5,289 in 2025. Lehigh University has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores in cases when they are submitted by the applicant. As far as admission difficulty is considered, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is one of the most difficult schools to get into. Having a long tradition of academic success and a dedication to encouraging intellectual curiosity, Lehigh University provides a superior educational experience.
Test Scores
Out of the number of students who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 29.65% and ACT scores 9.13%. 69.89% of the enrolled students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 29.89% between 1,200 and 1,399 and 0.22% between 1,000 and 1,199. The percent of new students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 87.59 and 12.41 between 24-29.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 704 for the newly enrolled students, while the average SAT Math score was 727.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by January 20. If you are applying for a transfer, note that the application deadline is November 11.
Retention Rate
The student retention rate is the percentage of students who re-enroll from one year to the next. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
The freshman retention rate for Lehigh University was 93.7% in 2025, which is an amazing retention rate only the most prestigious institutions achieve.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. It reflects the proportion of students who obtain their degrees within the expected timeframe. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 88%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
It is never easy to figure out which school is the right fit for you. You can get a better insight into a school's culture and life by learning more about its student body.
Main Student Body
The overall number of students enrolled at Lehigh University in 2025 was 7,692.
That year, the institution had an out-of-state student body percentage of 73.23. There was a total of 5,911 undergraduate students, including 385 international students. 50 students were admitted as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
With a coeducational student body, the school had 3,592 male and 3,277 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
In order to promote a sense of inclusion and belonging among its students, higher education is dedicated to increasing student diversity. Diversity promotes critical thinking, challenges preconceived notions, and encourages intellectual growth, so it helps students develop empathy and a broader understanding of the world. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at Lehigh University.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of Asian students was 635, while the number of Black American students was 293. 652 undergraduates at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 258 as multirace. The school also had 6 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 5 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 145 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Financial planning for school is one of the most important things to consider before you apply. Here are some details you should know about the cost of attendance for Lehigh University.
Tuition and Fees
If you were wondering how much the tuition cost for Lehigh University is, here are some recent data that will come in handy.
In 2025, tuition amounted to $66,810 for all full-time domestic students. As this is a private institution, tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Fees per academic year required of full-time students came to a total of $1,110 in 2025.
Books and Supplies
The estimated cost of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into consideration as another important expense. The approximate cost of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is $1,000.
Boarding
Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. What do colleges and universities typically charge for accommodation and meals?
In 2025, the price of room and board at Lehigh University was $18,180 per academic year. Room-only (on campus) cost per academic year at this school came to $10,800, according to the data from 2025. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was also $10,800.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 66,810 |
| Room and Board | $ 18,180 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,000 |
| Total Expense | $ 85,990 |
Financial Aid
Grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs: these are all different types of financial support for students. If you are interested in finding out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Lehigh University, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
According to the most recent data, 703 freshmen were awarded financial aid. Students of this school received an average of $62,477 in financial help.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
2,550 students secured some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Lehigh University is available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need came to be 2,586. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution totaled $7,623,396, and state $55,865. The students of Lehigh University received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $130,410,790, and external in the amount of $1,160,176.
$23,734
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
906 students, including freshmen, received institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid at this school in 2025. Institutional help in the form of non-need-based scholarships or grants was given to 257 full-time freshmen. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $12,911,514. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $4,358,440 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Majors
Faculty
10:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty ratio can tell you a lot about the teaching resources a school provides for its students.
In 2025, this ratio at Lehigh University was 10:1. That means that there were 10 times more students than teachers at this school. The faculty of this school consists of 764 members, according to the most recent data reported. This number included 444 male and 312 female faculty members.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at Lehigh University is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Check out some info about campus life at Lehigh University.
Its campus spans 2,355 acres.
Student Organizations
Being a member of a student organization will make you connect better with your fellow students and enjoy your college years more.
This school has 258 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. This number includes sororities and fraternities. At this school, 18.13% of male students are members of social organizations, while that percentage is 25.29 for female students. The student organization that gathers the largest number of students is Outing Club, followed by African Students Association and Cheese Club. Other popular organizations at Lehigh University are University Productions and Marching Ban '97.
If you are interested in music, you can join the Lehigh University band or chorus. For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. Interested in media and communication? Lehigh University publishes its own newspaper.
Student Services
At Lehigh University, there are many amenities that make life on campus pleasant and safe.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. The dormitory entrances at the school are electronically controlled. There is a round-the-clock security patrol. Theer is a nighttime transportation/escort service.
There is a medical clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Women's Center are available to the students of Lehigh University.
All in all, campus life at Lehigh University is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Lehigh University.
Career Counselling
At Lehigh University, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be excellent for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
Job Placement
Being aware of the projected salary upon finishing your studies can be important in determining if a specific school is in line with your career ambitions.
The average base annual starting salary of the students who were employed within six months of graduation at this school is 73,899 USD.
$73,899
Average Starting Salary After 6 Months of Graduation
FAQ
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Lehigh University is located in Bethlehem, PA.
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Lehigh University offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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According to the latest information, you would need to pay about 66,810 USD per academic year for Lehigh University.
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This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
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According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for Lehigh University is 25%.
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The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for Lehigh University is 93.7%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
