Lehigh University
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit · 25.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 93/100 · Exceptional Value
Lehigh University scores 93 (Exceptional Value) on the CampusROI scale -- one of the highest scores among private research universities on this site. The score is built on a 4.1-year payback period (sub-score 98), 91.5% repayment rate (sub-score 97), 87.9% completion rate (sub-score 95), and $67,300 median six-year earnings rising to $105,584 at ten years. Median debt of $21,960 against $67,300 earnings yields a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.326. The STEM and business pipelines are exceptionally strong: Computer Science (147 graduates) earns $88,587 year-one and $141,691 at year four (B+ grade); Finance (193 graduates) earns $76,720 year-one and $127,210 at year four (B+ grade); Accounting (53 graduates) hits $125,874 at year four. Industrial Engineering (40 graduates) and Business Information Systems (47 graduates) both reach over $113k at year four. Finance and CS represent the core of Lehigh's career placement pipeline into Wall Street, consulting, and tech. Even traditionally lower-earning programs hold up: Marketing reaches $98,320 at year four (B grade) and International Relations reaches $90,302 (B grade). The breadth of B and B+ grades across the program catalog is unusual and reflects both strong hiring relationships and genuine academic preparation for high-demand roles.
The median graduate earns $105,584 ten years after entry - well above the national median of roughly $55,000 for 4-year college graduates.
Lehigh University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $64,980/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $64,980/yr |
| Average net price | $36,931/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $147,724 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $105,584 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $67,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,960 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $233 |
| Estimated payback period | 4.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 87.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,898 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Lehigh University is $64,980/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $36,931/year, or roughly $147,724 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $16,917/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $48,751/year.
The median graduate leaves with $21,960 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $233 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $105,584 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.33 - well within manageable territory.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $16,917 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,140 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,722 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $22,184 |
| $110,001+ | $48,751 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $16,917 per year at Lehigh and the 30001-48000 bracket pays $17,140 -- both well below the $36,931 average net price. Low-income students who gain admission find meaningful aid. Four-year cost at the lowest bracket is roughly $68,000 -- substantial in absolute terms but within reach given Lehigh's 4.1-year payback period and $67,300 median six-year earnings. Low-income students in engineering and finance have a compelling financial case; the investment recovers in just over four years at median earnings.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $18,722 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $22,184. Both are well below the sticker price of $64,980, confirming that Lehigh's aid model compresses costs significantly for families in these ranges. Four-year costs of $75,000-89,000 are manageable against a 4.1-year payback period. Middle-income families in these brackets who place students in engineering or finance have one of the stronger private-university ROI cases in this tier.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001 and above pay $48,751 per year at Lehigh -- a four-year cost approaching $195,000. At full price, the 4.1-year payback period and $105,584 ten-year median earnings make the investment defensible for students entering high-earning programs. Finance and CS graduates earning $76-88k year-one will recover $195,000 within seven to nine years. Higher-income families choosing Lehigh over lower-net-cost alternatives are essentially paying a premium for the career network and brand -- and the Scorecard data suggests that premium is real.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Lehigh University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management | $127,210 | B+ |
| Computer Science | $141,691 | B+ |
| Mechanical Engineering | $96,618 | B+ |
| Psychology | $74,939 | C+ |
| Marketing | $98,320 | B |
| Biology | $75,611 | C+ |
| Accounting | $125,874 | B+ |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $116,999 | B+ |
| Business Information Systems | $113,630 | B+ |
| Civil Engineering | $91,856 | B |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance is Lehigh's largest program by graduate volume at 193 graduates and delivers B+ ROI: $76,720 year-one and $127,210 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.303. Median debt of $23,250 is low relative to earnings velocity. Lehigh's finance pipeline flows into investment banking, asset management, and financial services on the East Coast. The $127k four-year figure reflects the speed at which finance graduates climb salary bands in Wall Street and mid-Atlantic financial services firms.
Computer Science
Computer Science (147 graduates) earns $88,587 at year one and $141,691 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.269 (B+ grade). Median debt of $23,854 is modest against those earnings. Lehigh's CS program benefits from strong industry connections in the Philadelphia-New York corridor and produces graduates who compete effectively with larger engineering school alumni in tech hiring. The year-four trajectory above $140k reflects placement into senior engineering and tech management roles.
Accounting
Accounting (53 graduates) earns $77,026 year-one and $125,874 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.301 (B+ grade). Median debt of $23,179 is low. Accounting graduates from Lehigh enter the Big Four and regional public accounting firms at competitive starting salaries, and the four-year trajectory to $125k reflects CPA licensure and early manager-level promotions. This is among the highest-returning accounting programs in the mid-Atlantic region relative to cost.
Industrial Engineering
Industrial Engineering (40 graduates) earns $81,142 year-one and $121,498 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.294 (B+ grade). Industrial engineering graduates enter operations management, supply chain, logistics, and manufacturing optimization roles across manufacturing and services industries. The four-year trajectory to $121k is unusually strong for this discipline and reflects Lehigh's connections to the industrial mid-Atlantic economy and strong career services placement.
Marketing
Marketing (60 graduates) earns $55,236 at year one and $98,320 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.372 (B grade). The year-four jump to $98k is notable for a marketing program -- it reflects Lehigh graduates entering brand management, digital marketing, and strategic account roles at firms where the Lehigh brand adds credential value. Median debt of $20,534 is the lowest among the major business programs here.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 90.5% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 91.5% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 91.2% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 93.9% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 25.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 690-770 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 680-730 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 31-34 |
| Enrollment | 5,898 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 17.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $15,219 |
At 25.9%, Lehigh is selective but not at the most extreme tier. SAT Math 690-770 and Reading 680-730 describe a strong quantitative cohort -- applicants in the top 20% nationally on math are well-positioned. ACT 31-34 is the parallel signal. The engineering and business colleges are the highest-demand entry points. Lehigh's admission advantage for students from the mid-Atlantic region is meaningful -- the campus draws heavily from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, and students who can demonstrate regional connectivity and career intentionality have a slightly easier path than national averages suggest.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Lehigh (ROI 93) is named alongside Case Western Reserve University (ROI 85), Wake Forest University, and Georgetown University as peer institutions. Among this group, Lehigh's 93 leads on the CampusROI scale, reflecting its stronger engineering and finance pipelines and lower median debt ($21,960 vs. Case Western's $24,000). Georgetown's ROI is not directly reported here, but its earnings profile is driven by different fields (law, policy, international affairs) with different payback curves. Wake Forest occupies a similar liberal arts-meets-professional school model. Lehigh's 4.1-year payback period is among the fastest in the private research university peer group.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh University (this school) | 93 | $36,931 | $105,584 |
| Georgetown University | 93 | $40,815 | $103,494 |
| Wake Forest University | 88 | $28,719 | $78,158 |
| Case Western Reserve University | 85 | $41,190 | $87,989 |
| Albright College | 56 | $20,024 | $58,700 |
| Bryn Athyn College of the New Church | 34 | $20,586 | $40,457 |
Who Thrives Here
Lehigh admits 25.9% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 690-770 Math and 680-730 Reading; ACT composite 31-34 -- the highly competitive tier. Enrollment is 5,898 undergraduates on a focused residential campus in Bethlehem, PA. Pell grant rate of 17.7% is low, reflecting the institution's strong financial aid but predominantly middle- and upper-income enrollment. Lehigh draws students with serious technical or business ambitions; the engineering college and business school are the engines of placement. Students comfortable in a quantitative curriculum and motivated by finance, engineering, or technology careers will find their strongest ROI here. Students without a clear program direction risk spending $36,931 net per year on a degree whose value depends heavily on which department delivers it.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
Lehigh University is one of the strongest financial investments in higher education. With a total 4-year net cost of $147,724 and median graduate earnings of $105,584 ten years out, the math works decisively in graduates' favor. The estimated payback period of 4.1 years is well below average.
The data highlights several strengths: strong earnings premium over high school graduates, a 87.9% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $21,960 is very manageable against $105,584 in annual earnings - well within the financial advisor rule of thumb that total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.