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Lafayette College Villanova Colgate University of Richmond BU Washington and Lee Case Western BC RPI Penn State Denison Stevens| Bucknell University | Lehigh University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Bucknell | Lehigh | ||
| Location | Lewisburg, PA | Bethlehem, PA | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,892 | 7,590 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #73 | #58 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bucknell.edu | lehigh.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Bucknell | Lehigh | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,418 | $61,180 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,418 | $61,180 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,118 | $16,470 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $38,486 | $33,289 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $41,211 | $43,644 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 56% | 59% |
Admission |
Bucknell | Lehigh | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 11,010 | 18,415 | ||
| Admitted | 3,524 | 5,389 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 32% | 29.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 29.2% | 28.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.62 | 3.81 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 31/33 | 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 |
Bucknell | Lehigh | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Bucknell | Lehigh | ||
| Graduation Rate | 91% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $76,300 | $89,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 89% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $24,256 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $250 |
Diversity |
Bucknell | Lehigh | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 12% | ||
| % Women | 1% | 11% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 66% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 9% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 5% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
Bucknell | Lehigh | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 21% | 23% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 74% | 69% | ||
Campus |
Bucknell | Lehigh | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Lehigh University is larger than than Bucknell based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 3,892 students)
Bucknell vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Bucknell or Lehigh?
- Bucknell University is 5.3% more expensive to attend than Lehigh for in-state tuition ($64,418.00 vs. $61,180.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.3% higher at Bucknell than Lehigh University ($64,418.00 vs. $61,180.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lehigh University than Bucknell ($33,289 vs. $38,486)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bucknell University are 2.2% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($16,118 vs. $16,470)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Lehigh University than Bucknell University (59% vs. 56%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 5.9% larger than aid received Bucknell University ($43,644 vs. $41,211)
Bucknell vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Bucknell or Lehigh? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Lehigh or Bucknell .
- The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 23 points higher than at Bucknell (1315)
- Incoming Lehigh students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Bucknell (30)
- Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Bucknell (3.62)
- Bucknell has a higher acceptance rate (32%) than Lehigh (29.3%)
Bucknell vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Bucknell 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 Bucknell.
- The graduation rate at Bucknell is higher than Lehigh University (91% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $12,900 more per year than Bucknell graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $76,300)
- Lehigh University students graduate with a $2,744 lower median federal student loan debt than Bucknell graduates. ($24,256 vs. $27,000)
- Lehigh graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Bucknell graduates. ($250 vs. $279)
- More Bucknell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lehigh students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 89%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/