Lehigh University Tuition and Fees

By Susan Guillory

(Last Updated – 05/2023)

Total Cost of Attendance

Lehigh University, located in Pennsylvania, is known for being a well-respected private research facility with a low student-to-faculty ratio. Lehigh tuition is higher than most private four-year universities, at $59,930 per year (2022-23 cost). The national average for tuition is $39,400 per year.

Costs for 2022-23

Financial Aid

Many students don’t pay out of pocket for Lehigh tuition and fees. In fact, 82% of them receive student loans, grants, or scholarships. Get student loan and scholarship information so you can form a plan for how you’ll pay for college.

Generally, financial aid is monetary assistance awarded to students based on personal need and merit. Students that qualify for financial aid can use it to pay for college costs like tuition, books, and living expenses.

The federal government is the largest provider of student financial aid. However, aid can also be given by state governments, colleges and universities, private companies, and nonprofits. The different types include:

•  Scholarships: These can be awarded by schools and other organizations based on students’ academic excellence, athletic achievement, community involvement, job experience, field of study, and financial need.

•  Grants: Generally based on financial need, these can come from federal, state, private, and non-profit organizations.

•  Work-study: This federal program provides qualifying students with part-time employment to earn money for expenses while in school.

•  Federal student loans: This is money borrowed directly from the U.S. Department of Education. It comes with fixed interest rates that are typically lower than private loans.

Colleges, universities, and state agencies use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine financial aid eligibility. The FAFSA can be completed online, but note that state and federal and school deadlines may differ.

You can find other financial aid opportunities on databases such as:

•  US Department of Education – Search for grants from colleges and universities by state

•  College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS) – A global college scholarship application used by select institutions to award financial aid

Recommended: The Differences Between Grants, Scholarships, and Loans

Private Student Loans

There are two options for student loans: federal and private. When it comes to federal student loans, 41% of Lehigh students took them out, while 19% opted for private student loans. The average private student loan per year is $12,089.

Private loans are funded by private organizations such as banks, online lenders, credit unions, some schools, and state-based or state-affiliated organizations. While Federal student loans have interest rates that are regulated by Congress, private lenders follow a different set of regulations so their qualifications and interest rates can vary widely.

What’s more, private loans have variable or fixed interest rates that may be higher than federal loan interest rates, which are always fixed. Private lenders may (but don’t always) require you to make payments on your loans while you are still in school, compared to federal student loans which you don’t have to start paying back until after you graduate, leave school, or change your enrollment status to less than half-time.

Private loans don’t have a specific application window and can be applied for on an as-needed basis. However, if you think you may need to take out a private loan, it’s a good idea to submit your FAFSA first to see what federal aid you may qualify for as it generally may have better rates and terms.

If you’ve missed the FAFSA deadline or you’re struggling to pay for school throughout the year, private loans can potentially help you make your payments. Just keep in mind that you will need enough lead time for your loan to process and for your lender to send money to your school.

Recommended: Guide to Private Student Loans

Projected 4-Year-Degree Price

The price to attend Lehigh University for four years, including Lehigh tuition, room and board, books, and other fees, is $311,540 (based on 2022-23 costs). This is higher than the average cost for private school tuition and room and board in the U.S. of $230,280 for four years, per CollegeData.com.

Here’s some Pennsylvania Student Loan & Scholarship Information for you.

Undergraduate Tuition and Fees

Costs for 2022-23

In 2022-23, Lehigh students paid $59,930 for Lehigh tuition, plus $15,890 for room and board, for a total of $75,820. The average for private universities in the U.S. is less, at $57,570 per year.

Graduate Tuition and Fees

Costs for 2022-23

In addition to undergraduate studies, Lehigh also offers graduate school, which costs $27,200 on average. This is higher than the average tuition for graduate school at a private institution in the United States of $23,130 per year. There are graduate loans available to help with these costs.

Cost per Credit Hour

If you’d prefer to attend Lehigh University part-time (fewer than 12 credit hours per semester), you would pay $2,550 per credit. You may also be eligible to take out student loans as a part-time student.

Campus Housing Expenses

Costs for 2022-23

*Starting studio rate based on available apartments on an off-campus housing website in 2023.

All first- and second-year students at Lehigh University are required to live on campus. On-campus housing includes residence halls, suite and apartment style housing, and fraternity and sorority housing.

Lehigh has affiliate partners who offer off-campus housing to upperclassmen, and there are other options near campus including houses, duplexes, and apartments. Check out this resource to learn more about off-campus housing.

Lehigh University Acceptance Rate

Fall 2023

When it comes to the Lehigh acceptance rate, 24% of students who apply are accepted.

Admission Requirements

Here’s what you need to be admitted to Lehigh as a first-year student:

Required:

•  School report

•  Official high school transcript

•  Counselor recommendation

•  Teacher recommendation

•  Mid-year school report and transcript

•  Final school report and transcript

Recommended:

•  SAT or ACT scores

The deadline for Early Decision I is November 1, with a decision given in mid-December. The deadline for Early Decision II is January 1, with a decision in mid-February. The Regular Decision deadline is January 1, with a decision given in late March. You can apply to Lehigh University here .

SAT and ACT Scores

Lehigh University does not require ACT or SAT scores indefinitely. Here are the average scores based on 25th and 75th percentiles for students enrolled in Fall 2022:

Popular Majors at Lehigh University

Lehigh University offers a wide selection of programs to study. Here are the most popular majors.

1. Finance

Lehigh offers two Bachelor’s degrees in finance: a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics degree with a major in Finance, and a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Business and Engineering degree with a major in Finance. Students will learn about accounting, corporate finance, and budgeting.

Undergraduate degrees in 2021-22: 171

2. Computer Science

There are three computer science degrees available to undergraduates in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Business. Depending on the program, students can learn about management, data processing, information systems, and network security.

Undergraduate degrees in 2021-22: 134

3. Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineering students will get hands-on learning opportunities while studying engineering materials, product design and manufacturing, solid and fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics and control systems.

Undergraduate degrees in 2021-22: 80

4. Bioengineering

This program blends engineering and physical sciences with biology and bioengineering applications. Graduates of this major go on to take positions in healthcare, biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, biomaterials, and other biotechnology industries.

Undergraduate degrees in 2021-22: 53

5. Marketing

Marketing majors learn how to develop marketing communications campaigns, design and implement marketing research projects, and conduct customer analyses. There are opportunities for internships.

Undergraduate degrees in 2021-22: 46

6. Psychology

Lehigh’s psychology program offers courses in cognition and cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, social psychology, and clinical and behavioral health.

Undergraduate degrees in 2021-22: 46

7. Business & Economics

Business and economics majors at Lehigh gain valuable skills in decision-making, business communication, and leadership and management, as well as participate in a capstone course in their senior year.

Undergraduate degrees in 2021-22: 44

8. Political Science

This major focuses on studying the theories, processes, and institutions of government both in the U.S. and internationally, which helps students critically think about social and political problems.

Undergraduate degrees in 2021-22: 39

9. Chemical Engineering

Students in the chemical engineering program get the opportunity to work in top-notch labs on campus. They also learn about materials engineering, environmental engineering, polymer science and engineering, energy, and biotechnology.

Undergraduate degrees in 2021-22: 39

10. Industrial Engineering

Students of this program learn problem-solving and analytical skills to design and improve processes, systems, products, and services. They learn ways to shorten lines at amusement parks, speed up global UPS delivery systems, optimize operating room processes, and more.

Undergraduate degrees in 2021-22: 39

Learn more about the fields of study you can major in at Lehigh here .

Graduation Rate

Lehigh has a high graduation rate. Here is the percentage of students who, after starting their studies in 2016, graduated in six years:

•  6 years: 91.2%

Post-Graduation Median Earnings

A degree from Lehigh can be valuable in the workplace. On average, Lehigh graduates earned $100,559 a year. The national average for four-year schools is $55,260.