Lehigh University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit · Open access
Lehigh University is a private institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For the most recent reporting cycle, Lehigh University admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 78%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1337 and an ACT composite around 29. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $38,428 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Lehigh University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for Lehigh University?
Lehigh University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
SAT and ACT scores Lehigh University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 620–730, with an EBRW midpoint near 645. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 27–33. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.
How much does Lehigh University actually cost?
Published tuition is $60,663 for in-state students and $60,663 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,550 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $38,428 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 25% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
Other colleges in Pennsylvania parents ask about
- University of Pennsylvania6% acceptance
- Carnegie Mellon University54% acceptance
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus50% acceptance
- Drexel University11% acceptance
- University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus32% acceptance
- Temple University79% acceptance
- Villanova University83% acceptance
- Swarthmore College13% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Lehigh University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Lehigh University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Lehigh University
What GPA do I need for Lehigh University?
Lehigh University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does Lehigh University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 620–730, with an EBRW midpoint near 645. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 27–33.
How much does Lehigh University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Lehigh University after grants and scholarships is $38,428 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Lehigh University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Lehigh University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.