Lehigh University
About
Lehigh University (LU) is a private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer. Lehigh University's undergraduate programs have been coeducational since the 1971–72 academic year. As of 2022, the university had 5,911 undergraduate students and 1,781 graduate students. The university is classified as "Doctoral Universities R1: Very High Research Activity".
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 4.7-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 137 Title IV programs, 32 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 105 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing32 · 23.4%
- No Data105 · 76.6%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Programmatic accreditations · 4
Action history · 5
- Oct 2024Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · Professional Psychology (RPSY) - Postdoctoral residency programs
- Jul 2021Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · School Psychology (SCPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs
- Jun 2018Renewal of AccreditationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Apr 2017Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · Counseling Psychology (COPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs
- Aug 2014Change in Agency recognitionNational Association of Schools of Theatre, Commission on Accreditation · Theatre (THEA) - Institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and/or non-degree-granting programs
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 1,275 students received $8.0M in Pell grants, alongside $26.1M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 827 borrowers who entered repayment, 4 (0.4%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Lehigh
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 14
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus11
- Non-campus1
Includes 6 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
- Race1
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Lehigh vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Lehigh selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectLehigh University | 88% | — | 7,692 | $36,931 | R2 Research |
| 80% | 51.3% | 20,626 | $41,104 | R1 Research | |
| 91% | 16.4% | 15,432 | $41,704 | R1 Research | |
| 86% | 40.5% | 5,205 | $35,736 | R1 Research | |
| 96% | 5.4% | 11,956 | $25,184 | R1 Research | |
| 94% | 11.7% | 15,888 | $31,944 | R1 Research | |
| 95% | 8.8% | 26,793 | $28,690 | R1 Research | |
| 78% | 79.4% | 21,153 | $38,509 | R1 Research | |
| 91% | 10.6% | 15,175 | $22,585 | R1 Research | |
| 84% | 47.1% | 25,374 | $36,586 | R1 Research | |
| 95% | 12.9% | 20,031 | $40,815 | R1 Research | |
| 70% | 41.3% | 14,890 | $50,539 | R2 Research | |
| 91% | 5.2% | 32,553 | $30,915 | R1 Research | |
| 95% | 7.7% | 23,856 | $29,167 | R1 Research | |
| 84% | 63.5% | 7,040 | $36,228 | R1 Research | |
| 95% | 8.0% | 8,961 | $13,370 | R1 Research | |
| 80% | 75.0% | 17,059 | $24,398 | R2 Research | |
| 84% | 63.3% | 12,116 | $40,892 | R2 Research | |
| 84% | 45.9% | 22,589 | $38,793 | R1 Research | |
| 85% | 44.5% | 12,938 | $36,660 | R2 Research | |
| 94% | 11.5% | 13,599 | $39,998 | R1 Research | |
| 80% | 65.4% | 10,506 | $29,533 | R2 Research | |
| 95% | 11.3% | 13,042 | $26,780 | R1 Research | |
| 97% | 5.4% | 29,109 | $28,699 | R1 Research | |
| 85% | 40.1% | 11,946 | $29,278 | R1 Research | |
| 77% | 85.4% | 9,410 | $29,155 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 94% | 5.9% | 13,575 | $15,846 | R1 Research | |
| 89% | 21.7% | 9,322 | $28,719 | R2 Research | |
| 90% | 60.2% | 7,584 | $43,071 | R2 Research | |
| Peer group median | 89% | 30.9% | 13,599 | $31,944 |
Institutions like Lehigh
Explore the federal data for institutions in Lehigh's comparison group.
- R1 ResearchTexas
Baylor University
Grad rate80%Admit rate51.3%Enrollment20,626Net price$41,104View data - R1 ResearchMassachusetts
Boston College
Grad rate91%Admit rate16.4%Enrollment15,432Net price$41,704View data - R1 ResearchMassachusetts
Brandeis University
Grad rate86%Admit rate40.5%Enrollment5,205Net price$35,736View data - R1 ResearchRhode Island
Brown University
Grad rate96%Admit rate5.4%Enrollment11,956Net price$25,184View data - R1 ResearchPennsylvania
Carnegie Mellon University
Grad rate94%Admit rate11.7%Enrollment15,888Net price$31,944View data - R1 ResearchNew York
Cornell University
Grad rate95%Admit rate8.8%Enrollment26,793Net price$28,690View data - R1 ResearchPennsylvania
Drexel University
Grad rate78%Admit rate79.4%Enrollment21,153Net price$38,509View data - R1 ResearchGeorgia
Emory University
Grad rate91%Admit rate10.6%Enrollment15,175Net price$22,585View data - R1 ResearchDistrict of Columbia
George Washington University
Grad rate84%Admit rate47.1%Enrollment25,374Net price$36,586View data - R1 ResearchDistrict of Columbia
Georgetown University
Grad rate95%Admit rate12.9%Enrollment20,031Net price$40,815View data - R2 ResearchDistrict of Columbia
Howard University
Grad rate70%Admit rate41.3%Enrollment14,890Net price$50,539View data - R1 ResearchMassachusetts
Northeastern University
Grad rate91%Admit rate5.2%Enrollment32,553Net price$30,915View data - R1 ResearchIllinois
Northwestern University
Grad rate95%Admit rate7.7%Enrollment23,856Net price$29,167View data - R1 ResearchNew York
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Grad rate84%Admit rate63.5%Enrollment7,040Net price$36,228View data - R1 ResearchTexas
Rice University
Grad rate95%Admit rate8.0%Enrollment8,961Net price$13,370View data - R2 ResearchMissouri
Saint Louis University
Grad rate80%Admit rate75.0%Enrollment17,059Net price$24,398View data - R2 ResearchTexas
Southern Methodist University
Grad rate84%Admit rate63.3%Enrollment12,116Net price$40,892View data - R1 ResearchNew York
Syracuse University
Grad rate84%Admit rate45.9%Enrollment22,589Net price$38,793View data - R2 ResearchTexas
Texas Christian University
Grad rate85%Admit rate44.5%Enrollment12,938Net price$36,660View data - R1 ResearchMassachusetts
Tufts University
Grad rate94%Admit rate11.5%Enrollment13,599Net price$39,998View data - R2 ResearchOhio
University of Dayton
Grad rate80%Admit rate65.4%Enrollment10,506Net price$29,533View data - R1 ResearchIndiana
University of Notre Dame
Grad rate95%Admit rate11.3%Enrollment13,042Net price$26,780View data - R1 ResearchPennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
Grad rate97%Admit rate5.4%Enrollment29,109Net price$28,699View data - R1 ResearchNew York
University of Rochester
Grad rate85%Admit rate40.1%Enrollment11,946Net price$29,278View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalMinnesota
University of St Thomas
Grad rate77%Admit rate85.4%Enrollment9,410Net price$29,155View data - R1 ResearchTennessee
Vanderbilt University
Grad rate94%Admit rate5.9%Enrollment13,575Net price$15,846View data - R2 ResearchNorth Carolina
Wake Forest University
Grad rate89%Admit rate21.7%Enrollment9,322Net price$28,719View data - R2 ResearchMassachusetts
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Grad rate90%Admit rate60.2%Enrollment7,584Net price$43,071View data
Lehigh Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
OIR’s core responsibility is twofold: Provide official, reliable and trusted institutional data to external organizations and administer all Official Lehigh Surveys, which provide the institution with critical insights into the Lehigh community’s experience.
Visit IR office page- Henry Y. ZhengVice Provost for Institutional Research
- Caroline SéguinDirector of Institutional Research
- Yenny D. AndersonAssistant Vice Provost for Institutional Research
- Nancy HuangInstitutional Research Analyst
- Meg Munley StoneResearch Analyst
- Eric ScottInstitutional Research Analyst
- Zane L. KratzerData Research Scientist
- Gavin WoodardInstitutional Research Analyst
- John ZekindBusiness Intelligence Analyst
- Sumera AyazBusiness Intelligence Analyst
- Debbie HamannCoordinator
Common Data Set
Lehigh's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.
Selectivity & Admissions
Admissions funnel
C119,342 applied → 5,601 admitted (28.9%) → 1,535 enrolled.
Selectivity
C1Selective — 28.9% acceptance rate.
Admit rate by gender
C1Admit rate varies by gender.
SAT range (middle 50%)
C9Middle 50% SAT 1380–1480 (median 1430).
ACT range (middle 50%)
C9Middle 50% ACT 31–34 (median 33).
High-school class rank
C10Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.
Waitlist outcome
C24,083 offered a waitlist spot, 1,988 accepted it, 80 admitted (4.0% of those who stayed on).
What matters in admission
C7Relative importance of each admission factor.
Affordability & Value
Cost of attendance
GTotal sticker cost of attendance is $92,320 (2025-2026).
Sticker vs. net price
G+HSticker $92,320 → about $34,474 net for aided students after the average need-based grant ($57,846); 97% of demonstrated need is met.
Where grant aid comes from
H10% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.
Graduate debt
H4/H548% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $39,765 on average.
Outcomes & Equity
Graduation & retention
B6-year graduation rate 85%; first-year retention 94%.
Equity: Pell graduation gap
B4Pell-grant recipients graduate 2 pts below the overall rate (83% vs 85%).
Academic Experience
Class-size distribution
I342% of classes have under 20 students; 10% have 50+.
Faculty profile
IKey faculty indicators.
Degrees by discipline
JSTEM-dominant: ~42% of bachelor's degrees are in computing, engineering, math & sciences.
Student Body & Diversity
Undergraduate race/ethnicity
B2Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.
International students
B26% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).
Undergrad vs graduate
B15,986 undergraduates and 1,923 graduate students.
Transfer Path
Transfer admissions
D1804 transfer applicants → 195 admitted (24.3%) → 60 enrolled — more selective than first-year admission.
Reports & documents (5)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- Data definitionInstitutional Data Dictionary | Institutional Data @ LehighLehigh University utilizes the Data Cookbook as its Institutional Data Dictionary (IDD) and data management tool, which serves as a central metadata repository supporting data governance initiatives. The IDD encompasses data definitions, lineage, systems, and report specifications for analytics and reporting campus-wide. Lehigh community members can access and contribute to the dictionary, with details and guidance available through contact with the Data Governance team. Additionally, a Data Standards Manual provides instructions for consistent data entry.data.lehigh.edu
- Data dictionaryInstitutional Data DictionaryLehigh University uses the Data Cookbook as its Institutional Data Dictionary (IDD), a central repository of metadata that includes data definitions, lineage, systems, and specifications for analytics and reporting. This tool supports Data Governance initiatives, managed by the Office of Institutional Data. It provides a platform for collaborative development of report specifications and integrates with reports distributed on campus. The IDD is accessible to the Lehigh community, allowing them to browse, contribute new definitions, and view the data system inventory.data.lehigh.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookInstitutional Data CenterThe Institutional Data Center at Lehigh University provides current and archival information covering various metrics such as university profile, admissions, enrollment, graduation, retention, and faculty/staff details. It also includes survey data and is supported by the Office of Institutional Research. The data is utilized across the university for strategy and marketing purposes, and additional information can be accessed through authorized dashboards in the Institutional Data Portal.data.lehigh.edu
- GlossaryLehigh University: Office of Institutional Research & Strategic AnalyticsThe Office of Institutional Research & Strategic Analytics (OIRSA) at Lehigh University collects and disseminates institutional data to support university leadership and stakeholders. It handles requests for data both within and outside the university and manages programs like course evaluations. OIRSA also provides various data visualization tools and maintains a data center for access to university data.lehigh.edu
Notable alumni of Lehigh (20)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- David BaderAcademia
- Anthony G. CollinsAcademia
- Peter FeaverAcademia
- Lee IacoccaBusiness
- Ali Al-NaimiPolitics
- Cathy EngelbertBusiness
- Martin BaronJournalism and literature
- Paul GuilfoyleEntertainment
- CJ McCollumSports
- Roger PenskeSports
- Maria JacquemettonEntertainment
- Franklin C. SpinneyMilitary
Frequently asked questions about Lehigh University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Lehigh.
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About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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