Lehigh acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Lehigh University · Private nonprofit · Bethlehem, PA · 5,811 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Lehigh admitted 29.3% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 30.8% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $67,920 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 30.8% | 12,589 | 3,882 |
| 2014 | 34.3% | 11,512 | 3,945 |
| 2015 | 30.4% | 12,843 | 3,905 |
| 2016 | 26.1% | 13,403 | 3,499 |
| 2017 | 25.2% | 13,871 | 3,489 |
| 2018 | 22.3% | 15,622 | 3,488 |
| 2019 | 32.1% | 15,649 | 5,023 |
| 2020 | 49.5% | 12,389 | 6,138 |
| 2021 | 46.0% | 14,107 | 6,485 |
| 2022 | 37.0% | 15,163 | 5,607 |
| 2023 | 29.3% | 18,415 | 5,389 |
Applications went from 12,589 in fall 2013 to 18,415 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
Show as table
| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $14,290 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $13,708 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $19,587 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $20,869 |
| Over $110,000 | $36,233 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $67,920 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $84,497 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $25,272 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 33% submitted the SAT, 10% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Villanova PA | 25.1% | $70,826 same for all |
| Carnegie Mellon PA | 11.4% | $68,776 same for all |
| Swarthmore PA | 6.9% | $69,226 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Fall 2023 at Lehigh brought 18,415 applications and 5,389 admitted students, for a rate of 29.3%.1 The rate in 2013 was 30.8%, which makes the decline over the decade 1.5 percentage points.1 That small net move hides a swing: the rate reached 22.3% in 2018 and then jumped to 49.5% in 2020, and it declined in 7 of the 10 yearly changes.1 Over the same span the applicant pool expanded by 46%, and admits moved up 39% to reach 5,389 from 3,882.1
Lehigh is test-optional, with SAT scores from 33% of enrolled students and ACT scores from 10%.1 Those who submitted SAT scores had middle ranges of 670 to 730 for reading and writing and 680 to 760 for math, and the ACT range was 31 to 33.1
A single 2025-26 charge of $67,920 in tuition and fees applies to all students.2 After grants, the average net price in 2024-25 was $14,290 for families earning $0 to $30,000, $19,587 for $48,001 to $75,000, and $36,233 over $110,000.2
Of 2019 entrants, 85% graduated within 6 years, above the 60% median across 115 Pennsylvania colleges.2 Earnings have a median of $116,342 10 years after entry, and federal borrowers hold $21,371 in median debt.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 18,415 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 5,389 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 1,531 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 5,811 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 670 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 730 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 680 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 760 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 31 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 33 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 33% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 10% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $67,920 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $84,497 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $25,272 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $14,290 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $13,708 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $19,587 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $20,869 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $36,233 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 85% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 94% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 21% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $116,342 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $21,371 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Pennsylvania (N = 115) | 60% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Lehigh, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page