Elms College vs. Lehigh

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

Elms College Lehigh
Location Chicopee, MA Bethlehem, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,332 7,590
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #374 #58
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website elms.edu lehigh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Elms College Lehigh
Tuition (In State) $40,095 $61,180
Tuition (Out of State) $40,095 $61,180
Room & Board $15,150 $16,470
Avg Net Price $22,311 $33,289
Avg Grant Aid $31,015 $43,644
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 59%

Admission

Elms College Lehigh
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,442 18,415
Admitted 1,264 5,389
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 29.3%
Enrolled % 15.5% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.81
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 31/33
SAT Range 1150/1320 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 1, 2026

Academics

Elms College Lehigh
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (49%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • History (5%)
  • General Studies (4%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Elms College Lehigh
Graduation Rate 58% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,300 $89,200
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,256
Median Loan Payment $258 $250

Diversity

Elms College Lehigh
% Men 4% 12%
% Women 18% 11%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 66%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 0% 8%
% Unknown Race 24% 3%

Students

Elms College Lehigh
% In-State 71% 23%
% Out-of-State 26% 69%

Campus

Elms College Lehigh
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Lehigh University is larger than than Elms College based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 1,332 students)

Elms College vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Elms College or Lehigh?

  • Lehigh University is 52.6% more expensive to attend than Elms College for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $40,095.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.6% higher at Lehigh than College of Our Lady of the Elms ($61,180.00 vs. $40,095.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Our Lady of the Elms than Lehigh ($22,311 vs. $33,289)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Our Lady of the Elms are 8.7% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($15,150 vs. $16,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Our Lady of the Elms than Lehigh University (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 40.7% larger than aid received College of Our Lady of the Elms ($43,644 vs. $31,015)

Elms College vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 362 points higher than at Elms College (976)
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Elms College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Elms College (3.42)
  • Elms College has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Lehigh (29.3%)

Elms College vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Elms College 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 Elms College.

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than College of Our Lady of the Elms (87% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $42,900 more per year than Elms College graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $46,300)
  • Lehigh University students graduate with a $744 lower median federal student loan debt than Elms College graduates. ($24,256 vs. $25,000)
  • Lehigh graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Elms College graduates. ($250 vs. $258)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Elms College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 61%)

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