Cost of Lehigh University
Total Cost
The total cost of attendance at Lehigh University is
$64,860
per year
(which includes tuition and fees, books and supplies, and living expenses)
Cost Breakdown
Lehigh University helps incoming students pay for their education in a variety of ways. While the Admissions Office offers several ways for students to be considered for academic or talent-based scholarships, the Financial Aid Office provides need-based aid to its students and provides students with their own assigned financial aid counselor to help navigate the financial aid process. The Financial Aid Office also provides need-based aid as explained on its Tuition and Financial Aid Page. Lehigh University’s strives to meet 100% of all admitted students’ demonstrated financial need. The university also began a Loan Reduction and Elimination Initiative in order to help educate students on cost, expenses, and loan information and education.
Demonstrated financial need is assessed through the submission the CSS Profile and the FAFSA along with some additional supporting documents which can be submitted directly to Lehigh University. Financial aid forms including the CSS and FAFSA must be submitted by deadlines in order to to be considered for the maximum possible financial need-based award. The university provides access to this Prospective Student Financial Aid Checklist which breaks down the process and forms into more manageable steps. Admitted students will be provided personalized information to log onto the Lehigh portal. This portal will provide students with any outstanding paperwork requirements or forms. Once all of these forms are completed and submitted by the appropriate deadlines, students will be considered for grants and scholarships, loans, and federal work-study opportunities. Additionally, outside scholarship aid is also accepted. Special populations are also eligible for financial aid, including veterans, graduate students, transfer students, and international students. Short-term financial aid (winter or summer) is available to students with these needs as well. Emergency aid is available to students who experience a sudden, unexpected financial need. These could be situations where medical or dental emergencies exist, a death in the family, or other urgent and/or traumatic situations.
Some basic financial planning tools are available on the Lehigh University website. These include a net price calculator along with its related net cost worksheet, a handy financial aid glossary, and frequently asked questions relating to financial aid where students can browse questions or also put search terms into a search box for more specific information. The Bursar’s Office offers payment plan options for students and families trying to budget their way through college and have outstanding tuition bills.
A Financial Education Initiative at Lehigh University, called Commoncents Financial Literacy links to many financial educational resources. These include information and sites about student loan resources, free budgeting resources, credit information, online learning tools, and a link to the Career and Professional Development page. The Commoncents program is a peer-led program where students can meet with Peer Financial Educators, but students or faculty can request to meet with a certified financial aid counselor if they prefer. This program provides professionals and students to offer a comprehensive source of financial education to its students.
The Financial Education Center opened in April of 2018 on the Mountaintop Campus. The aim of this center will be to provide student internship opportunities and financial literacy and educational related workshops.
Financial Aid for Lehigh University
Average Student
The average student at Lehigh University pays
$26,933
per year
Need Met
Lehigh University's financial aid meets
97.0%
of student's demonstrated need
Financial Aid
At Lehigh University
42.5%
of freshmen receive some form of financial aid
Merit Scholarships for Lehigh University
Average Merit Scholarships
The average Lehigh University merit scholarship for students without financial need is
$12,724
Lehigh University offers students merit scholarships through the university's admission process. Some merit scholarships do not require additional applications in order to be considered. Consideration for these types will be through the application process. The admissions department looks at not only test scores and academic performance when determining these awards, but also considers letters of recommendation and other student successes and achievements. Merit-based scholarships are renewable for up to 8 consecutive semesters and renewable as long as the eligibility criteria for each award is maintained.
The Alice P. Gast STEM Scholarship, the Dean's Scholars Scholarships, the Lehigh University Merit Scholarship/National Merit Scholarship, and the Founder's and Trustees' Scholarships are all scholarships that do not require additional applications. These scholarships are based upon merit only and awarded during the admissions process. Awards vary in amount from $1,000-$12,500 per year. Additional information on these scholarship programs can be found here.
Performing Arts in Music Scholarships,Cutler-Sametz Choral Arts Scholarships, Snyder Family Marching Scholarships, Performing Arts in Theater Scholarships, and ROTC Scholarships. Scholarships are awarded to students as well. These scholarships require additional applications that can be found on their respective art, music, or theatre pages.
Athletic scholarships are determined during the admissions process. There are a limited number of athletic scholarships available to students.
Average Cost
Very few students pay the full price. Here's the average cost for students in different income brackets:
Budget for Lehigh University
Every student's costs are a little different.
LEARN MORE ABOUT BUDGETING >Loans for Lehigh University
Student Loans
The average student at Lehigh University takes out
$35,440
in student loans
Student Loan Repayment
The student loan repayment rate at Lehigh University is
94.5%
after five years
96.6%
after seven years
Student Loan Default Rate
At Lehigh University
1.6%
after three years
Graduate salaries for Lehigh University
Average Starting Salary
The average starting salary for a Lehigh University graduate is
$60,970
Salary Years After Graduation
After graduation, here's how the average salary at Lehigh University grows over time:
Savings for Lehigh University
Sticker Price
Lehigh University's full cost of attendance has increased an average of
3.6%
per year since 2014
Net Price
Lehigh University's average net price has increased an average of
1.4%
per year since 2014
Average Cost
Given past trends, we expect Lehigh University's tuition pricing to be the following:
