UMBC vs. Lehigh

Should I go to University of Maryland Baltimore County or Lehigh University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMBC 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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University of Maryland Baltimore County vs. Lehigh University comparison
University of Maryland Baltimore County Lehigh University College 3 College 4
University of Maryland Baltimore County Lehigh University
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Overview

 UMBC Lehigh
Location Baltimore, MD Bethlehem, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 14,148 7,590
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #263 #58
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu lehigh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC Lehigh
Tuition (In State) $9,238 $61,180
Tuition (Out of State) $26,594 $61,180
Room & Board $14,204 $16,470
Avg Net Price $17,704 $33,289
Avg Grant Aid $9,956 $43,644
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 59%

Admission

 UMBC Lehigh
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,150 18,415
Admitted 9,762 5,389
Acceptance Rate 74.2% 29.3%
Enrolled % 20.3% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 23/30 31/33
SAT Range 1220/1410 1350/1490
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 Feb 1, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 UMBC Lehigh
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

 UMBC Lehigh
Graduation Rate 57% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $89,200
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $24,256
Median Loan Payment $219 $250

Diversity

 UMBC Lehigh
% Men 14% 12%
% Women 12% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 44% 66%
% Black 17% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 8%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

 UMBC Lehigh
% In-State 85% 23%
% Out-of-State 6% 69%

Campus

 UMBC Lehigh
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

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than than Lehigh based on total student enrollment (14,148 students vs. 7,590 students)

UMBC vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Lehigh?

  • Lehigh University is 562.3% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $9,238.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 130.1% higher at Lehigh than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($61,180.00 vs. $26,594.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Lehigh ($17,704 vs. $33,289)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 16% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($14,204 vs. $16,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Lehigh University (87% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 338.4% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($43,644 vs. $9,956)

UMBC vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 129 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UMBC (27)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Lehigh (3.81)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than Lehigh (29.3%)

UMBC vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (87% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $29,700 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $59,500)
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $3,059 lower median federal student loan debt than Lehigh graduates. ($21,197 vs. $24,256)
  • UMBC graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Lehigh graduates. ($219 vs. $250)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 67%)

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