SUNY Poly vs. Lehigh

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

 SUNY Poly Lehigh
Location Utica, NY Bethlehem, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 2,842 7,394
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #257 #54
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sunyit.edu lehigh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SUNY Poly Lehigh
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $58,970
Tuition (Out of State) $17,830 $58,970
Room & Board $14,008 $15,890
Avg Net Price $13,799 $30,453
Avg Grant Aid $9,497 $44,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 55%

Admission

 SUNY Poly Lehigh
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,919 15,163
Admitted 2,384 5,607
Acceptance Rate 81.7% 37%
Enrolled % 16% 26.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 23/31 30/33
SAT Range 1040/1400 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 Aug 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

 SUNY Poly Lehigh
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering Technology (20%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

 SUNY Poly Lehigh
Graduation Rate 47% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,200 $89,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,585 $24,256
Median Loan Payment $171 $250

Diversity

 SUNY Poly Lehigh
% Men 59% 54%
% Women 41% 46%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 66%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

 SUNY Poly Lehigh
% In-State 95% 21%
% Out-of-State 3% 71%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lehigh University is larger than than SUNY Poly based on total student enrollment (7,394 students vs. 2,842 students)

SUNY Poly vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Poly or Lehigh?

  • Lehigh University is 734.1% more expensive to attend than SUNY Poly for in-state tuition ($58,970.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 230.7% higher at Lehigh than SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($58,970.00 vs. $17,830.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Lehigh ($13,799 vs. $30,453)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute are 13.4% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($14,008 vs. $15,890)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Lehigh University (89% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 364.5% larger than aid received SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($44,116 vs. $9,497)

SUNY Poly vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 197 points higher than at SUNY Poly (1141)
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at SUNY Poly (26)
  • Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at SUNY Poly (3.7)
  • SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (81.7%) than Lehigh (37%)

SUNY Poly vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Poly 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 SUNY Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (87% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $36,000 more per year than SUNY Poly graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $53,200)
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $7,671 lower median federal student loan debt than Lehigh graduates. ($16,585 vs. $24,256)
  • SUNY Poly graduates are paying $79 less per month on federal student loans than Lehigh graduates. ($171 vs. $250)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 63%)

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