Purchase College vs. Lehigh

Should I go to SUNY at Purchase College or Lehigh University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Purchase College or Lehigh 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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SUNY at Purchase College vs. Lehigh University comparison
SUNY at Purchase College Lehigh University College 3 College 4
SUNY at Purchase College Lehigh University
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Overview

Purchase College Lehigh
Location Purchase, NY Bethlehem, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 3,182 7,394
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #319 #54
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu lehigh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Purchase College Lehigh
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $58,970
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $58,970
Room & Board $14,948 $15,890
Avg Net Price $19,434 $30,453
Avg Grant Aid $10,312 $44,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 55%

Admission

Purchase College Lehigh
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,747 15,163
Admitted 4,292 5,607
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 37%
Enrolled % 16% 26.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.81
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 29/31 30/33
SAT Range 1190/1350 1340/1490
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 Jul 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Purchase College Lehigh
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Purchase College Lehigh
Graduation Rate 56% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $89,200
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $24,256
Median Loan Payment $232 $250

Diversity

Purchase College Lehigh
% Men 42% 54%
% Women 58% 46%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 66%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 18% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 2% 8%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

Purchase College Lehigh
% In-State 85% 21%
% Out-of-State 14% 71%

Campus

Purchase College Lehigh
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Lehigh University is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (7,394 students vs. 3,182 students)

Purchase College vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or Lehigh?

  • Lehigh University is 734.1% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($58,970.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 247.3% higher at Lehigh than SUNY at Purchase College ($58,970.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Lehigh ($19,434 vs. $30,453)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 6.3% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($14,948 vs. $15,890)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Lehigh University (73% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 327.8% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($44,116 vs. $10,312)

Purchase College vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 256 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Lehigh (37%)

Purchase College vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College or Lehigh? 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 Lehigh and Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (87% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $49,000 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $1,756 lower median federal student loan debt than Lehigh graduates. ($22,500 vs. $24,256)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Lehigh graduates. ($232 vs. $250)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 65%)

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