Carnegie Mellon vs. Lehigh

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

Carnegie Mellon Lehigh
Location Pittsburgh, PA Bethlehem, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 16,002 7,394
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #54
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmu.edu lehigh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carnegie Mellon Lehigh
Tuition (In State) $59,864 $58,970
Tuition (Out of State) $59,864 $58,970
Room & Board $16,486 $15,890
Avg Net Price $33,499 $30,453
Avg Grant Aid $43,966 $44,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 55%

Admission

Carnegie Mellon Lehigh
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,261 15,163
Admitted 3,873 5,607
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 37%
Enrolled % 44.3% 26.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 34/35 30/33
SAT Range 1490/1570 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 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Carnegie Mellon Lehigh
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Carnegie Mellon Lehigh
Graduation Rate 87% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $102,700 $89,200
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,250 $24,256
Median Loan Payment $271 $250

Diversity

Carnegie Mellon Lehigh
% Men 56% 54%
% Women 44% 46%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 32% 66%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 18% 8%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

Carnegie Mellon Lehigh
% In-State 11% 21%
% Out-of-State 69% 71%

Campus

Carnegie Mellon 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

  • Carnegie Mellon University is larger than than Lehigh based on total student enrollment (16,002 students vs. 7,394 students)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or Lehigh?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 1.5% more expensive to attend than Lehigh for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $58,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.5% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Lehigh University ($59,864.00 vs. $58,970.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lehigh University than Carnegie Mellon ($30,453 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lehigh University are 3.8% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($15,890 vs. $16,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lehigh University than Carnegie Mellon University (55% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 0.3% larger than aid received Carnegie Mellon University ($44,116 vs. $43,966)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Carnegie Mellon or Lehigh? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Lehigh or Carnegie Mellon .

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 110 points higher than at Lehigh (1338)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Lehigh (31)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Lehigh (3.81)
  • Lehigh has a higher acceptance rate (37%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carnegie Mellon 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 Carnegie Mellon.

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is the same as at Lehigh University (87% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $13,500 more per year than Lehigh graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $89,200)
  • Lehigh University students graduate with a $1,994 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($24,256 vs. $26,250)
  • Lehigh graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($250 vs. $271)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lehigh students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 89%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/