Lehigh vs. CNU

Should I go to Lehigh University or Christopher Newport University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Lehigh or CNU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Lehigh University vs. Christopher Newport University comparison
Lehigh University Christopher Newport University College 3 College 4
Lehigh University Christopher Newport University
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Overview

 Lehigh CNU
Location Bethlehem, PA Newport News, VA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 7,590 4,503
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #58 #418
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lehigh.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Lehigh CNU
Tuition (In State) $61,180 $10,001
Tuition (Out of State) $61,180 $24,238
Room & Board $16,470 $12,360
Avg Net Price $33,289 $22,864
Avg Grant Aid $43,644 $9,141
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 65%

Admission

 Lehigh CNU
Applied 18,415 7,062
Admitted 5,389 6,212
Acceptance Rate 29.3% 88%
Enrolled % 28.4% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.79
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 31/33 23/29
SAT Range 1350/1490 1100/1300
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Lehigh CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

 Lehigh CNU
Graduation Rate 87% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,200 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,256 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $258

Diversity

 Lehigh CNU
% Men 12% 1%
% Women 11% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 74%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 9% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 8% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

 Lehigh CNU
% In-State 23% 93%
% Out-of-State 69% 6%

Campus

 Lehigh CNU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Lehigh University is larger than than CNU based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 4,503 students)

Lehigh vs. CNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lehigh or CNU?

  • Lehigh University is 511.7% more expensive to attend than CNU for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $10,001.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 152.4% higher at Lehigh than Christopher Newport University ($61,180.00 vs. $24,238.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Christopher Newport University than Lehigh ($22,864 vs. $33,289)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 33.3% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($12,360 vs. $16,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Christopher Newport University than Lehigh University (65% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 377.5% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($43,644 vs. $9,141)

Lehigh vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lehigh or CNU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CNU or Lehigh .

  • The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 183 points higher than at CNU (1155)
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at CNU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at CNU (3.79)
  • CNU has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than Lehigh (29.3%)

Lehigh vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lehigh or CNU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between CNU and Lehigh.

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than Christopher Newport University (87% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $42,100 more per year than CNU graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $47,100)
  • Lehigh University students graduate with a $744 lower median federal student loan debt than CNU graduates. ($24,256 vs. $25,000)
  • Lehigh graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than CNU graduates. ($250 vs. $258)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CNU students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 78%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/