Lehigh University
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania · Private · 5,898 undergraduates · lehigh.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
29%
of 19,342 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1380 to 1480
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$99,850Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Lehigh University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
29% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$99,850
a year in 2027-28, from a $99,850 sticker price
What to do with your 1430
Send your score
About 59% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1320, and yours is above it.
Named scholarships you may qualify for (7)
Cutler-Sametz Choral Arts Scholarships
$5,000 a year
You meet: the requirements · Application required
Performing Arts Scholarships in Music
$5,000 a year
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs an application, essay or interview. · Application required
Performing Arts Scholarships in Theatre
$3,000 a year
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs an application, essay or interview. · Application required
Snyder Family Marching Scholarships
$1,500 a year
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs an application, essay or interview. · Application required
Soaring Together Scholarship Program
Full tuition
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs an application, essay or interview. · Application required
Lehigh University Merit Scholarship/National Merit Scholarship
$1,000 to $2,000 a year
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs National Merit Finalist standing.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Admissions Requirements | Lehigh University · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan1Early Decision II · January 1, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan1Regular Decision · January 1, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
29%
of applicants were admitted: 5,601 of 19,342 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 47% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
4,083 students were offered a spot; 80 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 33% of them sent SAT scores and 10% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1380 to 1480
Reading and Writing 680 to 740
Math 690 to 760
ACT composite 31 to 34
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160069%
- 1200 to 139931%
- 1000 to 12990.4%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$99,850
a year
- Tuition$75,080
- Fees$1,270
- Food and housing$20,800
- Books and supplies$1,080
- Transportation and other$1,620
Lehigh University published $92,320 for 2025-26. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$14,290
- $30,001 to $48,000$13,708
- $48,001 to $75,000$19,587
- $75,001 to $110,000$20,869
- Over $110,000$36,233
Financial aid
97%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$57,846
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
12%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $21,666 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid deadline: 1/15
- The last day to send aid forms.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Dean's Scholarship
$15,000 to $25,000 a year
Competitive · No separate application
To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA, and stay a full-time student; it renews for up to 8 semesters (10 for 5-year programs).
DetailsCutler-Sametz Choral Arts Scholarships
$5,000 a year
Competitive · Application required
- Choral talent; separate Department of Music application
Deadline: January 10. To keep it: a 2.8 college GPA, and sing in the University Choir and one other choral ensemble.
DetailsPerforming Arts Scholarships in Music
$5,000 a year
Competitive · Application required
- Instrumental talent; separate application
Deadline: January 10. To keep it: a 2.8 college GPA, and play in at least two instrumental ensembles.
DetailsPerforming Arts Scholarships in Theatre
$3,000 a year
Competitive · Application required
- Theatrical talent (performance, design, technical, playwriting); separate application
Deadline: February 10. To keep it: a 2.8 college GPA, and stay active in the Department of Theatre.
Details
Show 5 more scholarships
Snyder Family Marching Scholarships
$1,500 a year
Competitive · Application required
- Instrumental talent; separate application
Deadline: January 10. To keep it: a 2.8 college GPA, and perform with the Marching 97 band each fall.
DetailsCollege of Health Scholars Program
Full tuition
Competitive · Application required
- Apply to Lehigh with College of Health as intended college by Jan 1, 2027 and submit the COHS application by Feb 1, 2027
Deadline: February 1, 2027. To keep it: stay a full-time student in the College of Health, and stay in good academic standing (not on academic probation).
DetailsFounder's and Trustees' Scholarships
Full or half tuition; top tier of the applicant pool
Competitive · No separate application
To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA, and stay a full-time student; it renews for up to 8 semesters (10 for 5-year programs).
DetailsSoaring Together Scholarship Program
Full tuition
Competitive · Application required
- Submission on advancing gender equity (essay, video or other format) via applicant portal
Deadline: February 1, 2027. To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA, and stay a full-time student.
DetailsLehigh University Merit Scholarship/National Merit Scholarship
$1,000 to $2,000 a year
National Merit · No separate application
- National Merit Finalist
To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA, and stay a full-time student.
Details
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
36 of 36
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,510Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 5 | 4 | ART 073 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 5 | 4 | ART 073 |
| African American Studies | 4 | 4 | AAS 091 |
| Art History | 4 | 4 | ART 099 |
| Art History | 5 | 8 | ART 001 and ART 002 |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | BIOS 001 Biology For Non-Majors |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MATH 021 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | MATH 021,022 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 4 | CHM 030 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | CHIN 011, 013 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 8 | CHIN 011, 012, 013, 014 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | POLS 003 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 | CSE 007 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 3 | CSE 099 |
| Drawing | 5 | 4 | ART 073 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | WRT 001 |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 6 | WRT 001 and WRT 002 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | WRT 001 |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 6 | WRT 001 and WRT 002 |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 4 | EES 002, EES 022 |
| European History | 5 | 4 | History elective |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | FREN 011 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 8 | FREN 011, 012 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | GERM 011 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 8 | GERM 011, 012 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 4 | elective credits for GS 091 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | MLL 099 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | JPNS 011 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 8 | JPNS 011, 012 |
| Latin | 4 | 4 | LAT 099 Latin Elective |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 2 | ECO 99 *Score 4 or 5 on BOTH AP Economics MACRO/MICRO and receive total 6 credits for ECO 001 (4) and Economics Elective (2) |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 2 | ECO 99 *Score 4 or 5 on BOTH AP Economics MACRO/MICRO and receive total 6 credits for ECO 001 (4) and Economics Elective (2) |
| Music Theory | 5 | 2 | Music elective |
| Physics 1 | 5 | 5 | PHYS 011,012 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 5 | PHYS 021, 022 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 5 | PHY 011, PHY 012 |
| Psychology | 4 | 4 | PSYC 001 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | SPAN 011 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 8 | SPAN 011, 012 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 4 | SPAN 151 |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 | MATH 012 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | POLS 001 |
| United States History | 5 | 4 | HIST 099 |
| World History: Modern | 5 | 4 | HIST 099 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
85%
Come back for a second year
94%
Typical earnings
$116,342
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Lehigh University$141,015
- All colleges$89,719
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 21 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Lehigh University. The Lehigh University logo is a trademark of the college.