Lehigh University
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit · 25.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 93/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Lehigh University scores 93 (Exceptional Value) on the CampusROI scale. 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 average six-year earnings rising to a median $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 roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
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 |
| Average 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 first number you'll see is the sticker price: $64,980/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $36,931/year, or roughly $147,724 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $16,917/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $48,751/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,960, which works out to about $233 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($67,300) and comes to 0.33, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 average 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.
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.
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 a high-returning accounting program 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). Median debt of $20,534 is the lowest among the major business programs here.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 90.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 91.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 91.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 93.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Lehigh University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
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. ACT 31-34 is the parallel signal.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Lehigh's ROI score is 93 and its median debt is $21,960. Lehigh's payback period is 4.1 years.
| 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
If you're asking whether Lehigh University is worth it, the short answer is yes - it's one of the strongest money decisions in higher education. Four years here run about $147,724 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $105,584 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 4.1 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 87.9% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $21,960 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $67,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Lehigh University: Common Questions
Is Lehigh University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Lehigh University pays off. It scores 93/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $36,931 a year after aid ($147,724 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $105,584 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 4.1 years to earn back.
How much does Lehigh University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $36,931 a year, or roughly $147,724 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Lehigh University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $105,584 ten years after enrolling, roughly $63,784 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Lehigh University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 4.1 years for Lehigh University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Lehigh University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,960, against average earnings of $67,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Lehigh University?
The six-year graduation rate is 87.9%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.