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George Washington Lafayette College Villanova Bucknell Colgate University of Richmond BU Georgetown Washington and Lee Case Western BC RPI| American University | Lehigh University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
AU | Lehigh | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | Bethlehem, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 13,019 | 7,590 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #84 | #58 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | american.edu | lehigh.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
AU | Lehigh | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $55,724 | $61,180 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $55,724 | $61,180 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,012 | $16,470 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $40,189 | $33,289 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $31,402 | $43,644 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 62% | 59% |
Admission |
AU | Lehigh | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,786 | 18,415 | ||
| Admitted | 8,427 | 5,389 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 47.4% | 29.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22% | 28.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.81 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | High | ||
| ACT Range | 29/33 | 31/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1300/1450 | 1350/1490 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 15, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
AU | Lehigh | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
AU | Lehigh | ||
| Graduation Rate | 77% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $64,800 | $89,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 80% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $24,256 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $250 |
Diversity |
AU | Lehigh | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 12% | ||
| % Women | 25% | 11% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 66% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 9% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 3% |
Students |
AU | Lehigh | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 2% | 23% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 94% | 69% | ||
Campus |
AU | Lehigh | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- American University is larger than than Lehigh based on total student enrollment (13,019 students vs. 7,590 students)
AU vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, AU or Lehigh?
- Lehigh University is 9.8% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $55,724.00)
- Out of state tuition is 9.8% higher at Lehigh than American University ($61,180.00 vs. $55,724.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lehigh University than AU ($33,289 vs. $40,189)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lehigh University are 3.3% lower than costs at American University ($16,470 vs. $17,012)
- More students receive financial grant aid at American University than Lehigh University (62% vs. 59%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 39% larger than aid received American University ($43,644 vs. $31,402)
AU vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, AU or Lehigh? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Lehigh or AU .
- The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 86 points higher than at AU (1252)
- Incoming Lehigh students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at AU (28)
- Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at AU (3.7)
- AU has a higher acceptance rate (47.4%) than Lehigh (29.3%)
AU vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, AU or Lehigh? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Lehigh and AU.
- The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than American University (87% vs. 77%)
- Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $24,400 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $64,800)
- American University students graduate with a $6 lower median federal student loan debt than Lehigh graduates. ($24,250 vs. $24,256)
- Lehigh University and AU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($250 vs. $250)
- More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 80%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/