Lehigh vs. BC

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

 Lehigh BC
Location Bethlehem, PA Bridgewater, VA
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 7,590 1,436
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #58 #603
Religious Affiliation - Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lehigh.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Lehigh BC
Tuition (In State) $61,180 $40,300
Tuition (Out of State) $61,180 $40,300
Room & Board $16,470 $14,370
Avg Net Price $33,289 $19,660
Avg Grant Aid $43,644 $36,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 100%

Admission

 Lehigh BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,415 3,984
Admitted 5,389 3,618
Acceptance Rate 29.3% 90.8%
Enrolled % 28.4% 11.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.61
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 31/33 28/29
SAT Range 1350/1490 1070/1375
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

 Lehigh BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Lehigh BC
Graduation Rate 87% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,200 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,256 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $279

Diversity

 Lehigh BC
% Men 12% 1%
% Women 11% 2%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 73%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 9% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 Lehigh BC
% In-State 23% 69%
% Out-of-State 69% 25%

Campus

 Lehigh BC
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 BC based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 1,436 students)

Lehigh vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lehigh or BC?

  • Lehigh University is 51.8% more expensive to attend than BC for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $40,300.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 51.8% higher at Lehigh than Bridgewater College ($61,180.00 vs. $40,300.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than Lehigh ($19,660 vs. $33,289)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater College are 14.6% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($14,370 vs. $16,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than Lehigh University (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 20.1% larger than aid received Bridgewater College ($43,644 vs. $36,350)

Lehigh vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 304 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at BC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at BC (3.61)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than Lehigh (29.3%)

Lehigh vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than Bridgewater College (87% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $46,100 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $43,100)
  • Lehigh University students graduate with a $2,744 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($24,256 vs. $27,000)
  • Lehigh graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($250 vs. $279)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BC 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/