Back to Colleges
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA 5,803 Undergrads 88.7% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$77,515
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$33,549
After Aid
Median Earnings
$105,584
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$33,549
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$105,584
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate88.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients18.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS91.4%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
29.3%
SAT Avg
1,432
SAT Reading
25th: 67068875th: 730
SAT Math
25th: 68072075th: 760
ACT Composite
25th: 313275th: 33
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$854k
+$458k
+$370k
Median Cost$34k/yr
+$734k
+$337k
+$249k
Full Cost$78k/yr
+$575k
+$179k
+$91k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
25
∞
Median Cost$34k/yr
31
206%
Full Cost$78k/yr
45
33%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return152%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-20%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$23,179
Earnings (5yr)
$118,286
Lifetime Value Added
+$359k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,128
Earnings (5yr)
$75,938
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$103,136
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$102,043
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$23,240
Earnings (5yr)
$110,208
Lifetime Value Added
+$299k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$107,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$90,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 1199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$81,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$24,019
Earnings (5yr)
$120,356
Lifetime Value Added
+$374k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$24,625
Earnings (5yr)
$113,884
Lifetime Value Added
+$326k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$23,854
Earnings (5yr)
$129,863
Lifetime Value Added
+$445k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$22,754
Earnings (5yr)
$99,040
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,707
Earnings (5yr)
$62,083
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$134,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$476k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$19,707
Earnings (5yr)
$80,740
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$23,834
Earnings (5yr)
$121,172
Lifetime Value Added
+$381k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$80,384
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$277k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$71,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,534
Earnings (5yr)
$105,601
Lifetime Value Added
+$265k
Materials Engineering
BachCIP: 1418
Median Debt
$26,324
Earnings (2yr)
$74,200
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$24,950
Earnings (5yr)
$101,225
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
BachCIP: 3000
Median Debt
$24,960
Earnings (5yr)
$90,977
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$22,863
Earnings (5yr)
$84,790
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,150
Earnings (5yr)
$88,889
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,160
Earnings (5yr)
$75,622
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Master's Degrees
Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,164
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$96,183
Lifetime Value Added
+$396k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,920
Lifetime Value Added
+$291k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$12,015
Earnings (5yr)
$94,799
Lifetime Value Added
+$333k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$86,867
Lifetime Value Added
+$311k
International and Comparative Education
MastCIP: 1307
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,478
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$118,309
Lifetime Value Added
+$534k
Political Science and Government
MastCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,409
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,608
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,934
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,823
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Doctoral Degrees
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
DocCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$93,613
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.