AU vs. Lehigh

Should I go to American University or Lehigh University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or Lehigh is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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American University vs. Lehigh University comparison
American University Lehigh University College 3 College 4
American University Lehigh University
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Overview

AU Lehigh
Location Washington, DC Bethlehem, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 13,885 7,394
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #54
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu lehigh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Lehigh
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $58,970
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $58,970
Room & Board $15,706 $15,890
Avg Net Price $41,369 $30,453
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $44,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 55%

Admission

AU Lehigh
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 15,163
Admitted 7,926 5,607
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 37%
Enrolled % 22.2% 26.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 29/32 30/33
SAT Range 1290/1430 1340/1490
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, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

AU Lehigh
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

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 37% 54%
% Women 63% 46%
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% 21%
% Out-of-State 94% 71%

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 (13,885 students vs. 7,394 students)

AU vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Lehigh?

  • Lehigh University is 11.1% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($58,970.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.1% higher at Lehigh than American University ($58,970.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lehigh University than AU ($30,453 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 1.2% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($15,706 vs. $15,890)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at American University than Lehigh University (66% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 62.6% larger than aid received American University ($44,116 vs. $27,138)

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 (40.6%) than Lehigh (37%)

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/