At a Glance
Bethlehem, PA
Undergraduate Students: 5,450
Student to Faculty Ratio: 9:1
Acceptance Rate: 36%
Six-Year Graduation Rate: 87%
Freshman Retention Rate: 94%
Notable Majors/Programs: Specialty interdisciplinary programs like Arts and Engineering, Computer Science and Business, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Business and Engineering...plus standards like Finance, Mechanical Engineering, Accounting, and Industrial Systems Engineering.
The Feel
Lehigh is a midsized private university with copious options in the sciences. They are “Built for tomorrow,” and their pillars are: impact on humanity, problem-solving, dynamic community, collaborative culture, and proven post-graduate success.
The university is located in the third largest metropolitan area in Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Valley, which is close to both New York City and Philadelphia. The campus is within walking distance to 20 restaurants.
Students are required to live on campus in their first two years. Most juniors stay on campus as well.
In 2019-2020, 1400 students participated in research opportunities with Lehigh.
A favorite student tradition involves teams outfitting beds with wheels and racing them down a hill. Two popular clubs among students are the beekeeping club and the cheese club.
Standout Points
They became the 6th university in the world to be recognized as an NGO with the United Nations. As a result, they have dozens of opportunities with the UN, including internships, student ambassador representation, and more.
Lehigh offers the Western Regional Center in the San Francisco area, which houses programs such as the Lehigh@Nasdaq program for students interested in entrepreneurship!
94% of students complete an internship or experiential opportunity
A new business facility is being built, where the entire top floor will be dedicated to start-ups.
Interdisciplinary programs are quite popular, with 10% of students choosing majors like Engineering + Arts and Sciences or Business + Computer Science.
Fun Fact
Lehigh has a legendary rivalry in football with Lafayette University, which dates back to the 1800s.
Bottom Line Fit: For those seeking a medium-sized, liberal arts type of setting, but with stronger than typical programs in business and STEM and who also prefer a medium-sized metro area of Lehigh Valley over more urban Philadelphia.
Learn more about Lehigh University