Lehigh vs. VWC

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

 Lehigh VWC
Location Bethlehem, PA Norfolk, VA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 7,590 1,711
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #58 #679
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lehigh.edu vwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Lehigh VWC
Tuition (In State) $61,180 $36,010
Tuition (Out of State) $61,180 $36,010
Room & Board $16,470 $11,513
Avg Net Price $33,289 $21,862
Avg Grant Aid $43,644 $29,360
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 100%

Admission

 Lehigh VWC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,415 2,651
Admitted 5,389 1,890
Acceptance Rate 29.3% 71.3%
Enrolled % 28.4% 19.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.39
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 31/33 28/29
SAT Range 1350/1490 1140/1350
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 VWC
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Lehigh VWC
Graduation Rate 87% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,200 $41,700
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,256 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $279

Diversity

 Lehigh VWC
% Men 12% 2%
% Women 11% 3%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 54%
% Black 4% 24%
% Hispanic 9% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

 Lehigh VWC
% In-State 23% 73%
% Out-of-State 69% 26%

Campus

 Lehigh VWC
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 VWC based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 1,711 students)

Lehigh vs. VWC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lehigh or VWC?

  • Lehigh University is 69.9% more expensive to attend than VWC for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $36,010.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 69.9% higher at Lehigh than Virginia Wesleyan College ($61,180.00 vs. $36,010.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Wesleyan College than Lehigh ($21,862 vs. $33,289)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Wesleyan College are 43.1% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($11,513 vs. $16,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Wesleyan College than Lehigh University (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 48.7% larger than aid received Virginia Wesleyan College ($43,644 vs. $29,360)

Lehigh vs. VWC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 356 points higher than at VWC (982)
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at VWC (22)
  • Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at VWC (3.39)
  • VWC has a higher acceptance rate (71.3%) than Lehigh (29.3%)

Lehigh vs. VWC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lehigh or VWC? 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 VWC and Lehigh.

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than Virginia Wesleyan College (87% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $47,500 more per year than VWC graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $41,700)
  • Lehigh University students graduate with a $2,744 lower median federal student loan debt than VWC graduates. ($24,256 vs. $27,000)
  • Lehigh graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than VWC graduates. ($250 vs. $279)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VWC students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 57%)

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