Lehigh vs. Bennington

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

 Lehigh Bennington
Location Bethlehem, PA Bennington, VT
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 7,590 867
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #58
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lehigh.edu bennington.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Lehigh Bennington
Tuition (In State) $61,180 $63,802
Tuition (Out of State) $61,180 $63,802
Room & Board $16,470 $18,640
Avg Net Price $33,289 $35,108
Avg Grant Aid $43,644 $47,860
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 98%

Admission

 Lehigh Bennington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,415 2,825
Admitted 5,389 1,357
Acceptance Rate 29.3% 48%
Enrolled % 28.4% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.51
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 31/33 30/32
SAT Range 1350/1490 1290/1413
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Lehigh Bennington
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (39%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

 Lehigh Bennington
Graduation Rate 87% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,200 $31,700
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,256 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $268

Diversity

 Lehigh Bennington
% Men 12% 2%
% Women 11% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 66% 65%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 8% 13%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

 Lehigh Bennington
% In-State 23% 2%
% Out-of-State 69% 87%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lehigh University is larger than than Bennington based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 867 students)

Lehigh vs. Bennington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lehigh or Bennington?

  • Bennington College is 4.3% more expensive to attend than Lehigh for in-state tuition ($63,802.00 vs. $61,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.3% higher at Bennington than Lehigh University ($63,802.00 vs. $61,180.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lehigh University than Bennington ($33,289 vs. $35,108)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lehigh University are 13.2% lower than costs at Bennington College ($16,470 vs. $18,640)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bennington College than Lehigh University (98% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bennington College students is 9.7% larger than aid received Lehigh University ($47,860 vs. $43,644)

Lehigh vs. Bennington Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Bennington (3.51)
  • Bennington has a higher acceptance rate (48%) than Lehigh (29.3%)

Lehigh vs. Bennington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lehigh or Bennington? 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 Bennington and Lehigh.

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than Bennington College (87% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $57,500 more per year than Bennington graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $31,700)
  • Lehigh University students graduate with a $1,744 lower median federal student loan debt than Bennington graduates. ($24,256 vs. $26,000)
  • Lehigh graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Bennington graduates. ($250 vs. $268)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bennington students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 77%)

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