Lehigh vs. Penn State New Kensington

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

 Lehigh Penn State New Kensington
Location Bethlehem, PA Upper Burrell, PA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 7,590 456
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #58
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lehigh.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Lehigh Penn State New Kensington
Tuition (In State) $61,180 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $61,180 $23,316
Room & Board $16,470 $13,448
Avg Net Price $33,289 $19,294
Avg Grant Aid $43,644 $7,450
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 91%

Admission

 Lehigh Penn State New Kensington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,415 643
Admitted 5,389 600
Acceptance Rate 29.3% 93.3%
Enrolled % 28.4% 20.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 31/33 25/27
SAT Range 1350/1490 1030/1270
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 New Kensington
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)

Outcomes

 Lehigh Penn State New Kensington
Graduation Rate 87% 40%
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 New Kensington
% Men 12% 1%
% Women 11% 6%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 87%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 9% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 8% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 Lehigh Penn State New Kensington
% In-State 23% 85%
% Out-of-State 69% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lehigh University is larger than than Penn State New Kensington based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 456 students)

Lehigh vs. Penn State New Kensington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lehigh or Penn State New Kensington?

  • Lehigh University is 342.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State New Kensington for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 162.4% higher at Lehigh than Penn State New Kensington ($61,180.00 vs. $23,316.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State New Kensington than Lehigh ($19,294 vs. $33,289)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State New Kensington are 22.5% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($13,448 vs. $16,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State New Kensington than Lehigh University (91% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 485.8% larger than aid received Penn State New Kensington ($43,644 vs. $7,450)

Lehigh vs. Penn State New Kensington Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 358 points higher than at Penn State New Kensington (980)
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Penn State New Kensington (21)
  • Penn State New Kensington has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than Lehigh (29.3%)

Lehigh vs. Penn State New Kensington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lehigh or Penn State New Kensington? 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 New Kensington and Lehigh.

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than Penn State New Kensington (87% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $33,900 more per year than Penn State New Kensington 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 New Kensington graduates. ($24,256 vs. $26,818)
  • Lehigh graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State New Kensington graduates. ($250 vs. $277)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State New Kensington 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/