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Lafayette College Villanova TCU Bucknell Baylor Colgate UT Austin University of Richmond UT Dallas Texas A&M BU Tulane| Lehigh University | Southern Methodist University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Lehigh | SMU | ||
| Location | Bethlehem, PA | Dallas, TX | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 7,394 | 12,053 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #54 | #67 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | lehigh.edu | smu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Lehigh | SMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,970 | $55,012 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,970 | $55,012 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,890 | $17,750 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $30,453 | $45,094 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $44,116 | $35,344 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 73% |
Admission |
Lehigh | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 15,163 | 16,150 | ||
| Admitted | 5,607 | 8,439 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 37% | 52.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 26.9% | 19.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.81 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 30/33 | 31/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1340/1490 | 1370/1510 | ||
| 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, 2025 | Jan 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Lehigh | SMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Lehigh | SMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 75% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $89,200 | $73,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 89% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,256 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $222 |
Diversity |
Lehigh | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 54% | 50% | ||
| % Women | 46% | 50% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 66% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 8% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 0% |
Students |
Lehigh | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 21% | 38% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 71% | 58% | ||
Campus |
Lehigh | SMU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Southern Methodist University is larger than than Lehigh based on total student enrollment (12,053 students vs. 7,394 students)
Lehigh vs. SMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Lehigh or SMU?
- Lehigh University is 7.2% more expensive to attend than SMU for in-state tuition ($58,970.00 vs. $55,012.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7.2% higher at Lehigh than Southern Methodist University ($58,970.00 vs. $55,012.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lehigh University than SMU ($30,453 vs. $45,094)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lehigh University are 11.7% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($15,890 vs. $17,750)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Methodist University than Lehigh University (73% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 24.8% larger than aid received Southern Methodist University ($44,116 vs. $35,344)
Lehigh vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Lehigh or SMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMU or Lehigh .
- The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 8 points higher than at SMU (1330)
- Incoming Lehigh students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at SMU (30)
- Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at SMU (3.68)
- SMU has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than Lehigh (37%)
Lehigh vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Lehigh or SMU? 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 SMU and Lehigh.
- The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than Southern Methodist University (87% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $16,200 more per year than SMU graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $73,000)
- Southern Methodist University students graduate with a $2,756 lower median federal student loan debt than Lehigh graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,256)
- SMU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Lehigh graduates. ($222 vs. $250)
- More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMU students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/