Cornell vs Lehigh

Cornell University and Lehigh University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Cornell, an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, boasts a lower acceptance rate (10.3%) compared to Lehigh's (22.4%) in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Cornell's student body is more diverse, with 50% female and 13% international students, while Lehigh's is predominantly male (58%) and has a smaller international student population (10%). In terms of academics, Cornell offers a wider range of majors, including popular choices like engineering, business, and biological sciences, while Lehigh focuses on engineering, business, and the arts. Both universities boast impressive graduation rates, with Cornell's at 93% and Lehigh's at 91%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Cornell University logo

Cornell University

Lehigh University logo

Lehigh University

Overview

Location Ithaca, New York Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Campus setting City: Small City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 97.0% 94.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 8.7% 46.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $80

Graduate: $105
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1450 - 1560 1325 - 1490
ACT range 33 - 35 30 - 34
Students submitting SAT score 41.0% 36.0%
Students submitting ACT score 20.0% 18.0%
Total number of applicants 67,380 14,107
Total number of admissions given out 5,852 6,485
Admitted students who chose to enroll 3,718 1,519
Yield rate 63.5% 23.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $80,287 $74,865
Average net price $24,262 $31,539
Tuition $60,286 $56,980
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,962

Meal plan: $6,434
Room/dormitory: $9,030

Meal plan: $6,300
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

50.0%
Average amount $52,674
54.0%
Average amount $39,972
Students receiving federal student loan 26.0%
Average amount $3,924
41.0%
Average amount $4,954
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $8,357
19.0%
Average amount $12,089

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 15,503
Men 46.1% Women 53.9%
5,451
Men 54.0% Women 46.0%
Graduate students 10,079
Men 51.0% Women 49.0%
1,812
Men 53.1% Women 46.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 64.3% N/A
International students 24.4% 13.6%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Small
Dormitory capacity 7,422 2,856
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York California New Jersey Florida Pennsylvania N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Legal Profession
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Mathematics and Statistics
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 94.1% 87.3%
Dropout rate 5.2% 12.4%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Law (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $185,154
  • Year 2: $172,867
  • Year 3: $207,272
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $150,786
  • Year 2: $145,332
  • Year 3: $167,695
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $127,764
  • Year 2: $122,485
  • Year 3: $158,076
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $147,241
  • Year 2: $127,397
  • Year 3: $155,653
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $114,311
  • Year 2: $111,926
  • Year 3: $126,082
Operations Research (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,067
  • Year 2: $109,763
  • Year 3: $124,590
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,459
  • Year 2: $92,277
  • Year 3: $109,597
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,672
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $109,553
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,847
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $107,658
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $106,693
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,409
  • Year 2: $74,142
  • Year 3: $96,587
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,252
  • Year 2: $78,552
  • Year 3: $94,991
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,434
  • Year 2: $81,491
  • Year 3: $93,797
Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,418
  • Year 2: $73,446
  • Year 3: $87,192
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,069
  • Year 2: $75,623
  • Year 3: $86,603
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,293
  • Year 2: $74,200
  • Year 3: $86,360
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,520
  • Year 2: $70,324
  • Year 3: $83,095
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,490
  • Year 2: $71,351
  • Year 3: $82,322
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,444
  • Year 2: $72,325
  • Year 3: $80,631
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,497
  • Year 2: $69,710
  • Year 3: $80,502

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