Lehigh vs. Penn State

Deciding between Lehigh University and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Lehigh University
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Lehigh Bethlehem, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Lehigh Small City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Lehigh 7,692
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Lehigh Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Lehigh #53
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Lehigh -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Lehigh Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Lehigh
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Lehigh $64,980
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Lehigh $64,980
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Lehigh $17,220
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Lehigh $34,154
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Lehigh $46,731
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Lehigh 65%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Lehigh 20,396
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Lehigh 5,289
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Lehigh 25.9%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Lehigh 28.4%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Lehigh 1440
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Lehigh 32
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Lehigh 3.81
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Lehigh A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Lehigh Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Lehigh High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Lehigh 31/34
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Lehigh 1370/1500
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Lehigh Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Lehigh Jan 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Lehigh 10:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Lehigh
    • Business (34%)
    • Engineering (24%)
    • Social Sciences (9%)
    • Biology (5%)
    • Psychology (5%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Lehigh 87%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Lehigh $89,200
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Lehigh 89%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Lehigh $24,256
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Lehigh $250
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Lehigh 52%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Lehigh 48%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Lehigh Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Lehigh No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Lehigh 66%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Lehigh 9%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Lehigh 4%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Lehigh 9%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Lehigh 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Lehigh 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Lehigh 3%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Lehigh 8%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Lehigh 3%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Lehigh 25%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Lehigh 69%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Lehigh Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Lehigh No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Lehigh Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Lehigh No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Lehigh Yes
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Lehigh based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 7,692 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Lehigh University is located in Bethlehem, PA (Small City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Lehigh University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Lehigh University 10:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Lehigh vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lehigh or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Lehigh ($27,889 vs. $34,154).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 15.9% lower than at Lehigh University ($14,474 vs. $17,220).
  • Lehigh University is 214.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $44,336 more per year; $64,980.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 55.5% higher at Lehigh than at Penn State Main Campus (about $23,190 more per year; $64,980.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lehigh University than at Penn State Main Campus (65% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 312.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($46,731 vs. $11,336).

Lehigh vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lehigh or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and Lehigh.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Lehigh University (1440) is 110 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Lehigh University 1370/1500; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Lehigh University 31/34; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Lehigh - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Lehigh Jan 1, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Lehigh (25.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 28.4% at Lehigh vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Lehigh vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Lehigh and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is the same as at Penn State Main Campus (87% vs. 87%).
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn a median of about $33,900 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($89,200 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Lehigh University graduates have a $2,562 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($24,256 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Lehigh graduates have an estimated $27 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($250 vs. $277).
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.