Lehigh vs. Saint Joseph's University

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

Lehigh Saint Joseph's University
Location Bethlehem, PA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 7,590 7,201
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #58 #162
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lehigh.edu sju.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lehigh Saint Joseph's University
Tuition (In State) $61,180 $51,140
Tuition (Out of State) $61,180 $51,140
Room & Board $16,470 $15,740
Avg Net Price $33,289 $36,392
Avg Grant Aid $43,644 $29,400
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 100%

Admission

Lehigh Saint Joseph's University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,415 8,751
Admitted 5,389 7,560
Acceptance Rate 29.3% 86.4%
Enrolled % 28.4% 15.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.65
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 31/33 27/31
SAT Range 1350/1490 1150/1330
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Lehigh Saint Joseph's University
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Lehigh Saint Joseph's University
Graduation Rate 87% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,200 $64,000
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,256 $23,008
Median Loan Payment $250 $237

Diversity

Lehigh Saint Joseph's University
% Men 12% 11%
% Women 11% 22%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 80%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 8% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Lehigh Saint Joseph's University
% In-State 23% 50%
% Out-of-State 69% 48%

Campus

Lehigh Saint Joseph's University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Lehigh University is larger than than Saint Joseph's University based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 7,201 students)

Lehigh vs. Saint Joseph's University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lehigh or Saint Joseph's University?

  • Lehigh University is 19.6% more expensive to attend than Saint Joseph's University for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $51,140.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.6% higher at Lehigh than Saint Joseph's University ($61,180.00 vs. $51,140.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lehigh University than Saint Joseph's University ($33,289 vs. $36,392)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Joseph's University are 4.6% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($15,740 vs. $16,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Joseph's University than Lehigh University (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 48.4% larger than aid received Saint Joseph's University ($43,644 vs. $29,400)

Lehigh vs. Saint Joseph's University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Saint Joseph's University (3.65)
  • Saint Joseph's University has a higher acceptance rate (86.4%) than Lehigh (29.3%)

Lehigh vs. Saint Joseph's University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lehigh or Saint Joseph's University? 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 Saint Joseph's University and Lehigh.

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than Saint Joseph's University (87% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $25,200 more per year than Saint Joseph's University graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $64,000)
  • Saint Joseph's University students graduate with a $1,248 lower median federal student loan debt than Lehigh graduates. ($23,008 vs. $24,256)
  • Saint Joseph's University graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Lehigh graduates. ($237 vs. $250)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Joseph's University students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 78%)

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