Lehigh vs. Olin College

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

Lehigh Olin College
Location Bethlehem, PA Needham, MA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 7,590 402
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #58
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lehigh.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lehigh Olin College
Tuition (In State) $61,180 $59,972
Tuition (Out of State) $61,180 $59,972
Room & Board $16,470 $19,820
Avg Net Price $33,289 $40,370
Avg Grant Aid $43,644 $41,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 100%

Admission

Lehigh Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,415 928
Admitted 5,389 201
Acceptance Rate 29.3% 21.7%
Enrolled % 28.4% 48.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 31/33 34/35
SAT Range 1350/1490 1480/1560
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 1, 2026

Academics

Lehigh Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

Lehigh Olin College
Graduation Rate 87% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,200 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 89% -
Median Student Loan Debt $24,256 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $250 $152

Diversity

Lehigh Olin College
% Men 12% 4%
% Women 11% 3%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 53%
% Black 4% 0%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 8% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 11%

Students

Lehigh Olin College
% In-State 23% 12%
% Out-of-State 69% 79%

Campus

Lehigh Olin College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 Olin College based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 402 students)

Lehigh vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lehigh or Olin College?

  • Lehigh University is 2% more expensive to attend than Olin College for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $59,972.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2% higher at Lehigh than Olin College of Engineering ($61,180.00 vs. $59,972.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lehigh University than Olin College ($33,289 vs. $40,370)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lehigh University are 20.3% lower than costs at Olin College of Engineering ($16,470 vs. $19,820)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olin College of Engineering than Lehigh University (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 6.1% larger than aid received Olin College of Engineering ($43,644 vs. $41,116)

Lehigh vs. Olin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Olin College of Engineering (1506) is 168 points higher than at Lehigh (1338)
  • Incoming Olin College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Lehigh (31)
  • Accepted freshman Olin College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Lehigh (3.81)
  • Lehigh has a higher acceptance rate (29.3%) than Olin College (21.7%)

Lehigh vs. Olin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lehigh or Olin College? 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 Olin College and Lehigh.

  • The graduation rate at Olin College is higher than Lehigh University (96% vs. 87%)
  • Olin College of Engineering students graduate with a $9,546 lower median federal student loan debt than Lehigh graduates. ($14,710 vs. $24,256)
  • Olin College graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than Lehigh graduates. ($152 vs. $250)

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