Bucknell vs. Lehigh

Should I go to Bucknell University or Lehigh University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bucknell 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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Bucknell University vs. Lehigh University comparison
Bucknell University Lehigh University College 3 College 4
Bucknell University Lehigh University
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Overview

Bucknell Lehigh
Location Lewisburg, PA Bethlehem, PA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 3,787 7,394
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #71 #54
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bucknell.edu lehigh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bucknell Lehigh
Tuition (In State) $61,408 $58,970
Tuition (Out of State) $61,408 $58,970
Room & Board $15,358 $15,890
Avg Net Price $39,965 $30,453
Avg Grant Aid $37,775 $44,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 55%

Admission

Bucknell Lehigh
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,707 15,163
Admitted 3,811 5,607
Acceptance Rate 32.6% 37%
Enrolled % 27.1% 26.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.81
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High High
ACT Range 30/33 30/33
SAT Range 1310/1470 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

Bucknell Lehigh
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

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 48% 54%
% Women 52% 46%
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% 21%
% Out-of-State 74% 71%

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 (7,394 students vs. 3,787 students)

Bucknell vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bucknell or Lehigh?

  • Bucknell University is 4.1% more expensive to attend than Lehigh for in-state tuition ($61,408.00 vs. $58,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at Bucknell than Lehigh University ($61,408.00 vs. $58,970.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lehigh University than Bucknell ($30,453 vs. $39,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bucknell University are 3.5% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($15,358 vs. $15,890)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bucknell University than Lehigh University (56% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 16.8% larger than aid received Bucknell University ($44,116 vs. $37,775)

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)
  • Lehigh has a higher acceptance rate (37%) than Bucknell (32.6%)

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/