Lehigh University

www.lehigh.edu/

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$54,790

0% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$29,098

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

0.76%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

49.5%

12,389 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

7,067

86.6% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

88%

1,142 Graduates

About

Lehigh University is a higher education institution located in Northampton County, PA. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Lehigh University were General Finance (221 degrees awarded), Computer Science (108 degrees), and Mechanical Engineering (101 degrees).

In 2020, 2,187 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Lehigh University. 46.3% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 53.7% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,301 degrees), 8.03 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (162 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Lehigh University is $54,790, which is $26,227 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

Photo by Greg Palmer

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Lehigh University is $54,790, which is $26,227 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $29,098.

In 2020, 52% of undergraduate students attending Lehigh University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 37% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$54,790

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at Lehigh University was $54,790. The cost of tuition at Lehigh University is $26,227 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Lehigh University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$29,098

2020 Value

9.26%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 Lehigh University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $29,098. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of Lehigh University grew by 9.26%.

This chart compares the average net price of Lehigh University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$14,160

Room and Board

$1,000

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Lehigh University was of $14,160 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,000. The cost of room and board increased by 4.12% between 2019 and 2020. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Lehigh University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

52%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

37%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

52% of undergraduate students at Lehigh University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 1.96% with respect to 2019, when 51% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Lehigh University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.76%

2018 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at Lehigh University was 0.76%, which represents 6 out of the 789 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Lehigh University received 12,389 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 20.8% annual decline. Out of those 12,389 applicants, 6,138 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 49.5% acceptance rate.

There were 7,067 students enrolled at Lehigh University in 2020, and 70% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Lehigh University has an overall enrollment yield of 22.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

49.5%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

6,138

Accepted Out of 12,389

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Lehigh University was 49.5% (6,138 admissions from 12,389 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 32.1%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants declined by −20.8%, while admissions grew by 22.2%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Lehigh University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

70%

Submission Percentage

964

Scores Submitted

70% of enrolled first-time students at Lehigh University in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Lehigh University has a total enrollment of 7,067 students. The full-time enrollment at Lehigh University is 6,118 students and the part-time enrollment is 949. This means that 86.6% of students enrolled at Lehigh University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Lehigh University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 59% White, 8.97% Hispanic or Latino, 7.24% Asian, 4.09% Black or African American, 2.93% Two or More Races, 0.0566% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0425% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Lehigh University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (32.6%), followed by White Female (28.8%) and Hispanic or Latino Male (5.05%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (21%), followed by White Female (18.1%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (3.53%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

86.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Lehigh University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 7,067 students. The full-time enrollment at Lehigh University is 6,118 and the part-time enrollment is 949. This means that 86.6% of students enrolled at Lehigh University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.5% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Lehigh University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

91%

2020 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Lehigh University was 91%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (85%), Lehigh University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Lehigh University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
4,173
Hispanic or Latino
634
Asian
512

The enrolled student population at Lehigh University is 59% White, 8.97% Hispanic or Latino, 7.24% Asian, 4.09% Black or African American, 2.93% Two or More Races, 0.0566% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0425% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.69% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 218 students (3.08%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 161 fewer women than men received degrees from Lehigh University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Lehigh University is white (1,301 degrees awarded). There were 8.03 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (162 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Lehigh University is General Finance (221 degrees awarded), followed by Computer Science (108 degrees) and Mechanical Engineering (101 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Lehigh University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Engineering (610 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (60 degrees), and Physical Sciences (49 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Accountants & auditors

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Lehigh University are Accountants & auditors (1,076,603 people), Other managers (1,029,509 people), Software developers (954,831 people), Financial managers (490,760 people), and Chief executives & legislators (477,720 people).

The most specialized majors at Lehigh University are Engineering (610 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (60 degrees), Physical Sciences (49 degrees), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (177 degrees), and Business (609 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Lehigh University are Surgeons, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, and Derrick, rotary drill, & service unit operators, & roustabouts, oil, gas, & mining

Common Industries by Major

Computer Systems Design

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Lehigh University are Computer Systems Design (1,354,790 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (695,214 people), Elementary & secondary schools (656,704 people), Construction (610,562 people), and Banking & related activities (590,034 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Lehigh University.

Most Common

General Finance
221 degree-majorss awarded
Computer Science
108 degree-majorss awarded
Mechanical Engineering
101 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Lehigh University was General Finance with 221 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Lehigh University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,174

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

1,013

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 1,174 degrees were awarded to men at Lehigh University, which is 1.16 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,013).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Lehigh University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 159 degrees were awarded to men at Lehigh University in General Finance, which is 2.45 times more than the 65 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 65 degrees were awarded to women at Lehigh University in General Finance, which is 0.409 times less than the 159 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

72%

100% Completion Time

87%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 72% of students graduating from Lehigh University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 87% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 88% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Lehigh University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1.4% of graduates (16 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
1,301 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
162 degrees awarded
Asian
150 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Lehigh University is white (1,301 degrees awarded). There were 8.03 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (162 degrees).

3.66% of degree recipients (80 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Male
697 degrees awarded
White Female
604 degrees awarded
Asian Female
86 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Lehigh University is white male (697 degrees awarded). There were 1.15 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (604 degrees).

Operations

Lehigh University has an endowment valued at nearly $1.37B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $20.4M (1.49%), compared to the 3.43% average return ($10.5M on $307M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, Lehigh University had a total salary expenditure of $406M. Lehigh University employs 192 Professors, 163 Associate professors, and 100 Assistant professors. Most academics at Lehigh University are Male Professors (147), Male Associate professors(96), and Female Associate professors (67).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Lehigh University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 234 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 213 employees, and Management with 191 employees.

Endowment

$1.37B

2020 Endowment

2.96%

decline from 2019

Lehigh University has an endowment valued at about $1.37B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of Lehigh University declined 2.96% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $1.06B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Lehigh University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$32.2M - Federal
$7.33M - State
$0 - Local

As of 2020, Lehigh University received $32.2M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $7.33M from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$182M

2020 Salaries

0.929%

growth from 2019

In 2020, Lehigh University paid a median of $182M in salaries, which represents 44.7% of their overall expenditure ($406M) and a 0.929% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 2.65% growth from 2018 and a 2.35% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (42.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$69.1M

Instructional Salaries

552

Number of Employees

In 2020, Lehigh University paid a total of $69.1M to 552 employees working as instructors, which represents 38.1% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $70.3M (29.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

192 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

234 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at Lehigh University were Professor with 192 employees; Associate professor with 163 employees; and Associate professor with 100 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Lehigh University were Business and Financial Operations with 234 employees; Office and Administrative Support with 213 employees; and Management with 191 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Associate professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Lehigh University was Male Professor with 147 employees, Male Associate professor with 96 employees, and Female Associate professor with 67 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Lehigh University.