UMass vs. Lehigh

Deciding between University of Massachusetts Amherst and Lehigh University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of Massachusetts Amherst
Lehigh University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UMass Amherst, MA
  • Lehigh Bethlehem, PA
  • Setting
  • UMass Town Fringe
  • Lehigh Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • UMass 31,726
  • Lehigh 7,692
  • Type
  • UMass Public 4 Year
  • Lehigh Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UMass #169
  • Lehigh #53
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UMass -
  • Lehigh -
  • Status
  • UMass Non-profit
  • Lehigh Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UMass
  • Lehigh

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UMass $17,772
  • Lehigh $64,980
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UMass $40,449
  • Lehigh $64,980
  • Room & Board
  • UMass $16,710
  • Lehigh $17,220
  • Average Net Price
  • UMass $22,948
  • Lehigh $34,154
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UMass $13,110
  • Lehigh $46,731
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UMass 81%
  • Lehigh 65%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UMass 50,261
  • Lehigh 20,396
  • Admitted
  • UMass 30,020
  • Lehigh 5,289
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UMass 59.7%
  • Lehigh 25.9%
  • Enrolled
  • UMass 17.9%
  • Lehigh 28.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UMass 1410
  • Lehigh 1440
  • Typical ACT score
  • UMass 31
  • Lehigh 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • UMass 3.99
  • Lehigh 3.81
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UMass A
  • Lehigh A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • UMass Exceptional
  • Lehigh Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • UMass Low
  • Lehigh High
  • ACT Range
  • UMass 30/33
  • Lehigh 31/34
  • SAT Range
  • UMass 1310/1500
  • Lehigh 1370/1500
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UMass Test optional
  • Lehigh Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UMass Jan 15, 2027
  • Lehigh Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UMass 17:1
  • Lehigh 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UMass
    • Business (15%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Communication (7%)
  • Lehigh
    • Business (34%)
    • Engineering (24%)
    • Social Sciences (9%)
    • Biology (5%)
    • Psychology (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UMass 67%
  • Lehigh 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UMass $55,200
  • Lehigh $89,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UMass 76%
  • Lehigh 89%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UMass $24,000
  • Lehigh $24,256
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UMass $248
  • Lehigh $250

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UMass 48%
  • Lehigh 52%
  • % Women
  • UMass 52%
  • Lehigh 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UMass Medium
  • Lehigh Medium
  • HBCU
  • UMass No
  • Lehigh No
  • % White
  • UMass 67%
  • Lehigh 66%
  • % Asian
  • UMass 9%
  • Lehigh 9%
  • % Black
  • UMass 4%
  • Lehigh 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • UMass 5%
  • Lehigh 9%
  • % Native American
  • UMass 0%
  • Lehigh 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UMass 0%
  • Lehigh 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UMass 3%
  • Lehigh 3%
  • % International
  • UMass 4%
  • Lehigh 8%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UMass 8%
  • Lehigh 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UMass 69%
  • Lehigh 25%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UMass 22%
  • Lehigh 69%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UMass Yes
  • Lehigh Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UMass No
  • Lehigh No
  • Meal Plan
  • UMass Yes
  • Lehigh Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UMass Yes
  • Lehigh No
  • Daycare Facility
  • UMass Yes
  • Lehigh Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, MA with Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than Lehigh based on total student enrollment (31,726 students vs. 7,692 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is located in Amherst, MA (Town Fringe setting); Lehigh University is in Bethlehem, PA (Small City setting).
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Lehigh University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Massachusetts Amherst 17:1; Lehigh University 10:1.

UMass vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMass or Lehigh? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Amherst than Lehigh ($22,948 vs. $34,154).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 3% lower than at Lehigh University ($16,710 vs. $17,220).
  • Lehigh University is 265.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than UMass (about $47,208 more per year; $64,980.00 vs. $17,772.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 60.6% higher at Lehigh than at University of Massachusetts Amherst (about $24,531 more per year; $64,980.00 vs. $40,449.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than at Lehigh University (81% vs. 65%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 256.5% larger than aid received by University of Massachusetts Amherst students ($46,731 vs. $13,110).

UMass vs. Lehigh Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UMass or Lehigh? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Lehigh and UMass.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Lehigh University (1440) is 30 points higher than at UMass (1410).
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 31 at UMass).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Massachusetts Amherst 1310/1500; Lehigh University 1370/1500.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Massachusetts Amherst 30/33; Lehigh University 31/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UMass - Test optional; Lehigh - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UMass Jan 15, 2027; Lehigh Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at Lehigh (3.81).
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (59.7%) than Lehigh (25.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.9% at UMass vs. 28.4% at Lehigh.

UMass vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UMass and Lehigh? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Lehigh University's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst's (67%).
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn a median of about $34,000 more per year than UMass graduates about ten years after starting college ($89,200 vs. $55,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Massachusetts Amherst graduates have a $256 lower median loan debt than Lehigh graduates ($24,000 vs. $24,256).
  • Among borrowers, UMass graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Lehigh graduates ($248 vs. $250).
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMass 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.