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Lehigh acceptance rate

Lehigh University · Bethlehem, Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit · 5,898 undergraduates

25.9%
accepted, fall 2024
20,396
applications
5,289
offers of admission
1,501
enrolled (28% of those admitted)

The rate slipped from 34% in 2014 to 26% in 2024, while the typical four-year college moved the other way (up about 6 points). Only about 6 in 100 four-year colleges admit a smaller share of applicants. Wesleyan University is the hardest to get into among the six schools closest to Lehigh in size and selectivity (16%); Mississippi Christian University is the easiest (29%).

Acceptance rate since 2001

0%20%40%60%2001200320052007200920112013201520172019202120242001 48%2002 44%2003 40%2004 38%2005 41%2006 39%2007 32%2008 28%2009 33%2010 38%2011 33%2012 33%2013 31%2014 34%2015 30%2016 26%2017 25%2018 22%2019 32%2020 50%2021 46%2022 37%2023 29%2024 26%
Share of first-time, first-year applicants offered admission, by fall term.
Show the numbers by year
FallAppliedAdmittedRateEnrolled
202420,3965,28925.9%1,501
202318,4155,38929.3%1,531
202215,1635,60737.0%1,511
202114,1076,48546.0%1,519
202012,3896,13849.5%1,370
201915,6495,02332.1%1,406
201815,6223,48822.3%1,275
201713,8713,48925.2%1,234
201613,4033,49926.1%1,249
201512,8433,90530.4%1,261
201411,5123,94534.3%1,299
201312,5893,88230.8%1,198
201211,5293,75632.6%1,217
201111,5783,86433.4%1,207
201010,3283,91337.9%1,212
200911,1703,66232.8%1,193
200812,9413,61227.9%1,205
200712,1553,88231.9%1,166
200610,6894,18239.1%1,217
200510,5014,34041.3%1,223
20049,8473,74938.1%1,055
20039,0873,67840.5%1,125
20028,2723,67244.4%1,145
20018,0373,85147.9%1,112

Applications and offers

010k20k30k20012004200720102013201620192024AppliedAdmitted2001 Applied: 8k Admitted: 4k2002 Applied: 8k Admitted: 4k2003 Applied: 9k Admitted: 4k2004 Applied: 10k Admitted: 4k2005 Applied: 11k Admitted: 4k2006 Applied: 11k Admitted: 4k2007 Applied: 12k Admitted: 4k2008 Applied: 13k Admitted: 4k2009 Applied: 11k Admitted: 4k2010 Applied: 10k Admitted: 4k2011 Applied: 12k Admitted: 4k2012 Applied: 12k Admitted: 4k2013 Applied: 13k Admitted: 4k2014 Applied: 12k Admitted: 4k2015 Applied: 13k Admitted: 4k2016 Applied: 13k Admitted: 3k2017 Applied: 14k Admitted: 3k2018 Applied: 16k Admitted: 3k2019 Applied: 16k Admitted: 5k2020 Applied: 12k Admitted: 6k2021 Applied: 14k Admitted: 6k2022 Applied: 15k Admitted: 6k2023 Applied: 18k Admitted: 5k2024 Applied: 20k Admitted: 5k
First-year applications received and offers made, by fall term.

Acceptance rate for women and men

Fall 2024AppliedAdmittedRate
Women9,8342,73627.8%
Men10,5562,55124.2%

SAT, ACT and test policy

Test scores in admission
Considered if submitted (test-optional)
SAT reading and writing
680 to 730 (middle 50% of enrolled students)
SAT math
690 to 770
ACT composite
31 to 34

Colleges similar to Lehigh

The six private nonprofit four-year colleges closest to Lehigh in acceptance rate and undergraduate enrollment.

CollegeAcceptance rateUndergraduatesAvg net priceEarnings after 10 yrs
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC
22%5,485$28,165$104,443
Trinity University
San Antonio, TX
26%2,505$22,962$79,620
Villanova
Villanova, PA
27%6,938$41,536$115,382
Smith College
Northampton, MA
21%2,544$25,519$69,936
Mississippi Christian University
Clinton, MS
29%2,518$21,034$54,122
Wesleyan University
Middletown, CT
16%3,067$23,014$86,811

Admissions counts are first-time, first-year applicants reported by Lehigh to IPEDS for each fall term (2001 to 2024), read from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Test score ranges and policy come from the College Scorecard. College Scorecard data updated November 2, 2026. How these figures are built · Lehigh on College Scorecard