Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, set on a wooded hillside in the Lehigh Valley and known for pairing rigorous engineering and business programs with a strong liberal-arts core. Admission is selective: Lehigh admitted about 29% of more than 19,300 applicants for its most recent class, and enrolled first-years who submitted scores posted middle-50% SAT results of 1380–1480 and ACT results of 31–34. Business is the single most-conferred field at roughly 28% of bachelor's degrees, followed by engineering at about 20%. Lehigh is test-optional, retains 94% of first-years into their second year, and meets about 97% of demonstrated financial need for aided first-year students.
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Lehigh admissions statistics
Acceptance rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early decision
Lehigh offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
Admit rate by application plan
% admitted~1.8× higher admit rate applying early.
Standardized tests
Lehigh is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Lehigh supplemental essays — 2026-2027 cycle
How did you first learn about Lehigh University and what motivated you to apply?
At Lehigh, we believe in pausing to celebrate the good—meaningful moments that bring joy, pride or motivation.
What's something great happening in your life right now?
It could be an accomplishment, a personal win (big or small) or something you're genuinely excited about. If it matters to you, we'd love to hear about it.
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Class rank
Where Lehigh's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 23.13% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Lehigh does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions factors
How Lehigh weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Lehigh's Common Data Set.
Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.
Financial aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Frequently asked questions about Lehigh admissions
Lehigh is selective but not in the single-digit tier — it admitted about 29% of applicants in the most recent cycle, offering admission to roughly 5,600 of more than 19,300 applicants and enrolling about 1,535 first-years. Lehigh reads applications holistically, weighing the rigor of your course load and academic GPA as very important factors alongside test scores, essays, and recommendations.
Applying Early Decision improves your odds at Lehigh: the binding ED I and ED II rounds together drew about 2,040 applications and admitted 966, an early admit rate near 47% versus the 29% overall rate. Lehigh weighs an applicant's level of interest as an important factor, so committing through binding ED can strengthen a competitive application.
A 1450 is competitive at Lehigh — it sits comfortably within the middle-50% SAT range of 1380 to 1480 for enrolled first-years who submitted scores, just above the median of 1430. The equivalent ACT middle 50% is 31 to 34, and there is no fixed cutoff since Lehigh is test-optional and reviews applications holistically.
Lehigh does not publish an average high school GPA, but enrolled first-years cluster near the top of their classes — among the roughly 23% who reported a class rank, about 60% ranked in the top tenth and roughly 87% in the top quarter of their graduating class. Both academic GPA and the rigor of your coursework are weighed as very important admission factors.
No — Lehigh is test-optional, so you may apply without submitting SAT or ACT scores. Among enrolled first-years who did submit, the middle 50% scored 1380 to 1480 on the SAT and 31 to 34 on the ACT, with about a third submitting the SAT and roughly a tenth the ACT.
Tuition and required fees run about $70,590 a year, with on-campus food and housing adding roughly $19,230 before books and personal expenses. Lehigh meets about 97% of demonstrated financial need: roughly 44% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, and the average need-based grant is near $57,846.
Business is the single most-conferred field at about 28% of bachelor's degrees, followed by engineering at roughly 20% and computer and information sciences at about 11%. The social sciences, psychology, and the biological sciences round out the most popular programs, reflecting Lehigh's blend of professional and liberal-arts study.
Yes — Lehigh rates the application essay as an important factor in its holistic review, on par with recommendations, extracurriculars, and demonstrated interest. With an admit rate near 29% and many academically strong applicants, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the clearest ways to stand out.
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Popular majors
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student-faculty ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by gender
Student diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Source: Lehigh University Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-08. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Lehigh. Banner photo by Chrisdelta, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Cite this page as: Esslo College Explorer, “Lehigh University admissions statistics, transcribed from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set,” https://www.esslo.org/colleges/lehigh (retrieved 2026-06-08).