Vassar vs. Lehigh

Should I go to Vassar College or Lehigh University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Vassar 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Lafayette College Villanova Bucknell Colgate Hamilton College University of Richmond Skidmore College Haverford College Tufts Barnard NYU Middlebury
Vassar College vs. Lehigh University comparison
Vassar College Lehigh University College 3 College 4
Vassar College Lehigh University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Vassar Lehigh
Location Poughkeepsie, NY Bethlehem, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,456 7,590
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #46 #58
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vassar.edu lehigh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Vassar Lehigh
Tuition (In State) $66,870 $61,180
Tuition (Out of State) $66,870 $61,180
Room & Board $17,415 $16,470
Avg Net Price $29,733 $33,289
Avg Grant Aid $53,840 $43,644
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 59%

Admission

Vassar Lehigh
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,145 18,415
Admitted 2,153 5,389
Acceptance Rate 17.7% 29.3%
Enrolled % 32% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 33/35 31/33
SAT Range 1435/1550 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 Jan 1, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

Vassar Lehigh
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Vassar Lehigh
Graduation Rate 91% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,400 $89,200
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,780 $24,256
Median Loan Payment $163 $250

Diversity

Vassar Lehigh
% Men 0% 12%
% Women 1% 11%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 59% 66%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 7% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Vassar Lehigh
% In-State 28% 23%
% Out-of-State 64% 69%

Campus

Vassar 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

  • Lehigh University is larger than than Vassar based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 2,456 students)

Vassar vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Vassar or Lehigh?

  • Vassar College is 9.3% more expensive to attend than Lehigh for in-state tuition ($66,870.00 vs. $61,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.3% higher at Vassar than Lehigh University ($66,870.00 vs. $61,180.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Vassar College than Lehigh ($29,733 vs. $33,289)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lehigh University are 5.7% lower than costs at Vassar College ($16,470 vs. $17,415)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lehigh University than Vassar College (59% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vassar College students is 23.4% larger than aid received Lehigh University ($53,840 vs. $43,644)

Vassar vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vassar College (1405) is 67 points higher than at Lehigh (1338)
  • Incoming Vassar students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Lehigh (31)
  • Accepted freshman Vassar students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Lehigh (3.81)
  • Lehigh has a higher acceptance rate (29.3%) than Vassar (17.7%)

Vassar vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Vassar 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 Vassar.

  • The graduation rate at Vassar is higher than Lehigh University (91% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $30,800 more per year than Vassar graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $58,400)
  • Vassar College students graduate with a $8,476 lower median federal student loan debt than Lehigh graduates. ($15,780 vs. $24,256)
  • Vassar graduates are paying $87 less per month on federal student loans than Lehigh graduates. ($163 vs. $250)
  • More Vassar graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lehigh students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 89%)

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