William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Lehigh

Should I go to William Paterson University of New Jersey or Lehigh University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if William Paterson University of New Jersey 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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William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Lehigh University comparison
William Paterson University of New Jersey Lehigh University College 3 College 4
William Paterson University of New Jersey Lehigh University
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Overview

William Paterson University of New Jersey Lehigh
Location Wayne, NJ Bethlehem, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 9,070 7,394
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #557 #54
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu lehigh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey Lehigh
Tuition (In State) $14,192 $58,970
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $58,970
Room & Board $13,160 $15,890
Avg Net Price $12,967 $30,453
Avg Grant Aid $10,919 $44,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 55%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey Lehigh
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,062 15,163
Admitted 6,464 5,607
Acceptance Rate 91.5% 37%
Enrolled % 12.5% 26.9%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.81
Typical High School Grades B- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 30/33
SAT Range 990/1345 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 Jun 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

William Paterson University of New Jersey Lehigh
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey Lehigh
Graduation Rate 46% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $89,200
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $24,256
Median Loan Payment $253 $250

Diversity

William Paterson University of New Jersey Lehigh
% Men 35% 54%
% Women 65% 46%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 43% 66%
% Black 16% 4%
% Hispanic 27% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey Lehigh
% In-State 92% 21%
% Out-of-State 6% 71%

Campus

William Paterson University of New Jersey 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

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is larger than than Lehigh based on total student enrollment (9,070 students vs. 7,394 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, William Paterson University of New Jersey or Lehigh?

  • Lehigh University is 315.5% more expensive to attend than William Paterson University of New Jersey for in-state tuition ($58,970.00 vs. $14,192.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 154.3% higher at Lehigh than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($58,970.00 vs. $23,192.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Lehigh ($12,967 vs. $30,453)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William Paterson University of New Jersey are 20.7% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($13,160 vs. $15,890)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Lehigh University (95% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 304% larger than aid received William Paterson University of New Jersey ($44,116 vs. $10,919)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 348 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.84 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at William Paterson University of New Jersey (2.97)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than Lehigh (37%)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, William Paterson University of New Jersey 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 William Paterson University of New Jersey.

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (87% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $42,700 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $46,500)
  • Lehigh University students graduate with a $244 lower median federal student loan debt than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates. ($24,256 vs. $24,500)
  • Lehigh graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates. ($250 vs. $253)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William Paterson University of New Jersey students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 59%)

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