Lehigh vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Lehigh Penn State Harrisburg
Location Bethlehem, PA Middletown, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 7,590 4,651
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #58 #595
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lehigh.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lehigh Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $61,180 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $61,180 $26,112
Room & Board $16,470 $15,870
Avg Net Price $33,289 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $43,644 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 54%

Admission

Lehigh Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,415 10,296
Admitted 5,389 9,924
Acceptance Rate 29.3% 96.4%
Enrolled % 28.4% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 31/33 26/30
SAT Range 1350/1490 1110/1320
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

Academics

Lehigh Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Lehigh Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 87% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,256 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $250 $277

Diversity

Lehigh Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 12% 5%
% Women 11% 6%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 59%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 8% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Lehigh Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 23% 46%
% Out-of-State 69% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lehigh University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 4,651 students)

Lehigh vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lehigh or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Lehigh University is 297.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 134.3% higher at Lehigh than Penn State Harrisburg ($61,180.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Lehigh ($22,406 vs. $33,289)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 3.8% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($15,870 vs. $16,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lehigh University than Penn State Harrisburg (59% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 418.3% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($43,644 vs. $8,421)

Lehigh vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 295 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Lehigh (29.3%)

Lehigh vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lehigh or Penn State Harrisburg? 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 Penn State Harrisburg and Lehigh.

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (87% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $33,900 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $55,300)
  • Lehigh University students graduate with a $2,562 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($24,256 vs. $26,818)
  • Lehigh graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($250 vs. $277)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg 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/