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Lafayette College Villanova Bucknell Colgate Harvard Yale Barnard Princeton University of Richmond Cornell BU UChicago| Columbia University in the City of New York | Lehigh University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Columbia | Lehigh | ||
| Location | New York, NY | Bethlehem, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 34,782 | 7,394 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #22 | #54 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | columbia.edu | lehigh.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Columbia | Lehigh | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,570 | $58,970 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,570 | $58,970 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,286 | $15,890 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,058 | $30,453 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $61,061 | $44,116 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 52% | 55% |
Admission |
Columbia | Lehigh | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 60,879 | 15,163 | ||
| Admitted | 2,404 | 5,607 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.9% | 37% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.1% | 26.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.91 | 3.81 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | High | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 30/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1580 | 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 |
Columbia | Lehigh | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Columbia | Lehigh | ||
| Graduation Rate | 93% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $107,600 | $89,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 76% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,500 | $24,256 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $222 | $250 |
Diversity |
Columbia | Lehigh | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 54% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 46% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 38% | 66% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 9% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 15% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 3% |
Students |
Columbia | Lehigh | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 19% | 21% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 64% | 71% | ||
Campus |
Columbia | 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
- Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than Lehigh based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 7,394 students)
Columbia vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Columbia or Lehigh?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 6.1% more expensive to attend than Lehigh for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $58,970.00)
- Out of state tuition is 6.1% higher at Columbia than Lehigh University ($62,570.00 vs. $58,970.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than Lehigh ($22,058 vs. $30,453)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lehigh University are 2.5% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($15,890 vs. $16,286)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Lehigh University than Columbia University in the City of New York (55% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 38.4% larger than aid received Lehigh University ($61,061 vs. $44,116)
Columbia vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Columbia or Lehigh? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Lehigh or Columbia .
- The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 135 points higher than at Lehigh (1338)
- Incoming Columbia students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Lehigh (31)
- Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Lehigh (3.81)
- Lehigh has a higher acceptance rate (37%) than Columbia (3.9%)
Columbia vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Columbia 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 Columbia.
- The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than Lehigh University (93% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $18,400 more per year than Lehigh graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $89,200)
- Columbia University in the City of New York students graduate with a $2,756 lower median federal student loan debt than Lehigh graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,256)
- Columbia graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Lehigh graduates. ($222 vs. $250)
- More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/