Lehigh University

In the 2027 U.S. News National University rankings, Lehigh University placed 44th, maintaining a steady position in the mid-forties. Gaining admission is competitive, yet the university remains more accessible than many private peers. In 2025, Lehigh admitted 25.9% of applicants, an admit rate higher than 63% of similarly ranked private research universities. Its drawing power among admitted students, however, is modest: the yield rate stood at 28.4%, which is higher than 40% of peer schools. A yield below thirty percent indicates that a substantial majority of admitted students decide to enroll elsewhere, likely choosing competing institutions. For prospective students, this balance of a moderate acceptance rate and a lower yield suggests that qualified candidates have a reasonable prospect of admission, though the university continues to compete vigorously against other private campuses for its incoming cohort.

Applicants targeting Lehigh University need strong academic credentials to remain competitive. For the enrolled class of 2025, the median SAT score was 1440. High school classroom performance is similarly rigorous, as a notable share of admitted students achieved a 4.0 high school grade point average during the 2023–2024 cycle, with most others maintaining marks near the top of their classes. In applicant cases collected by Forward Pathway, which are unofficial tracking records rather than published university statistics, admitted international students had a median unweighted grade point average of 3.8 alongside a median SAT score of 1370. These figures suggest that prospective international applicants should aim for high school grades near an unweighted 3.8 while demonstrating strong preparation in quantitative and analytical coursework to match the expectations of the admissions committee.

Lehigh University displays marked academic focus in engineering, business, and computer technology. Degrees are moderately concentrated, with the top three undergraduate fields—Computer Science, General Finance, and Mechanical Engineering—making up 29.2% of all bachelor's degrees awarded in 2025. The university's highest-ranked academic programs are concentrated at the graduate level, led by Industrial Engineering, which ranked 19th in U.S. News graduate engineering rankings for 2026, and Materials Engineering at 35th. While the largest undergraduate majors do not hold the very highest national ranks, they generate lucrative early-career outcomes. According to 2023 earnings data, graduates in Computer Science earned median first-year earnings of $95,778, followed closely by Chemical Engineering and Finance. For prospective applicants, Lehigh provides a well-defined pathway into corporate and technical industries, combining strong professional employment outcomes with established graduate research departments.

In 2025, Lehigh University maintained a student body centered largely around undergraduate education. In the incoming undergraduate class, Asian students numbered 154, accounting for 10.3% of the cohort, while international students made up 5.6%. At the advanced level, global students form a much larger component, with international candidates comprising 33.7% of all graduate students. Asian graduate students account for a small share at under five percent. Domestic white students form the majority across undergraduate classes. For prospective applicants, this composition shows that undergraduate student life remains overwhelmingly domestic, whereas graduate laboratories and academic departments draw significantly more talent from abroad.

Undergraduate life at Lehigh University is defined by traditional-age college students living and studying together. In 2025, 47% of undergraduates were between 18 and 19 years old, and 44.4% were aged 20 to 21. Very few undergraduates fall outside this standard bracket, creating a tightly unified residential campus culture centered on four-year degree completion. In contrast, the graduate student population exhibits broader professional experience, led by scholars aged 25 to 29 who make up 36% of advanced degree candidates. The graduate school also includes notable shares of younger entrants and students in their thirties pursuing research degrees.

International student representation at Lehigh University differs substantially between undergraduate and graduate programs. In 2025, international students accounted for 6.7% of undergraduates, an enrollment share higher than 23% of peer private research universities. In contrast, global students comprise 33.7% of graduate enrollment. International shares increase steadily with degree level, culminating at the doctoral stage where international scholars earned 44.9% of doctorates awarded in 2025. By discipline, international representation concentrates in technical subjects, such as Computer Science for bachelor's candidates and Business Analytics for master's students. These patterns suggest that international applicants will find a close-knit group of overseas peers in undergraduate lecture halls, whereas graduate labs and master's business programs offer a far more cosmopolitan environment.

Prospective students considering Lehigh University have several institutional options located nearby in eastern Pennsylvania. Just 4.7 kilometers away lies DeSales University, a national university ranked 262nd in 2027. For those interested in liberal arts colleges, Muhlenberg College is situated 6.8 kilometers away and ranked 62nd among national liberal arts colleges, while Lafayette College is located 11 kilometers away and ranked 30th on the same list. Additionally, Villanova University, ranked 42nd among national universities, is located 39.5 kilometers from campus. These nearby schools offer families convenient comparisons across both liberal arts colleges and private research institutions within the region.

Campus safety reports at Lehigh University reflect an environment where the overwhelming majority of documented incidents involve disciplinary infractions rather than violent crime. In 2025, the campus crime rate per 1,000 students was 11.9, down significantly from earlier years. Between 2023 and 2025, alcohol-related disciplinary referrals formed the largest category by far, totaling 702 incidents, followed by 126 drug-related disciplinary referrals. Over that same three-year period, serious offenses and law enforcement arrests remained rare, with modest numbers of arrests and reported property crimes. For prospective students and their families, these safety figures indicate that university safety personnel and residential staff focus heavily on monitoring student conduct and alcohol policies, with very little exposure to dangerous or violent activity on campus grounds.