Columbia vs. Lehigh

Should I go to Columbia University in the City of New York or Lehigh University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia 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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Columbia University in the City of New York vs. Lehigh University comparison
Columbia University in the City of New York Lehigh University College 3 College 4
Columbia University in the City of New York Lehigh University
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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
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
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

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/