Lehigh vs. Purdue vs. Ohio State

Should I go to Lehigh University or Purdue University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Lehigh or Purdue 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. Purdue University Main Campus vs. Ohio State University comparison
Lehigh University Purdue University Main Campus Ohio State University College 4
Lehigh University Purdue University Main Campus Ohio State University
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Overview

 Lehigh Purdue Ohio State
Location Bethlehem, PA West Lafayette, IN Columbus, OH
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban Large City
Enrollment 7,590 52,905 60,046
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #58 #103 #139
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website lehigh.edu purdue.edu osu.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Lehigh Purdue Ohio State
Tuition (In State) $61,180 $9,718 $11,826
Tuition (Out of State) $61,180 $28,520 $37,332
Room & Board $16,470 $11,650 $14,272
Avg Net Price $33,289 $12,421 $19,575
Avg Grant Aid $43,644 $11,126 $11,791
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 39% 64%

Admission

 Lehigh Purdue Ohio State
Applied 18,415 73,083 70,028
Admitted 5,389 36,763 35,588
Acceptance Rate 29.3% 50.3% 50.8%
Enrolled % 28.4% 25.5% 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.67 3.76
Typical High School Grades A- B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition High Low Low
ACT Range 31/33 27/34 29/32
SAT Range 1350/1490 1190/1460 1330/1480
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Lehigh Purdue Ohio State
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 Lehigh Purdue Ohio State
Graduation Rate 87% 68% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,200 $61,200 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 78% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,256 $21,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $250 $222 $222

Diversity

 Lehigh Purdue Ohio State
% Men 12% 15% 10%
% Women 11% 10% 14%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium Low
HBCU No No No
% White 66% 65% 71%
% Black 4% 3% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2% 3%
% International 8% 17% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 2% 3%

Students

 Lehigh Purdue Ohio State
% In-State 23% 46% 65%
% Out-of-State 69% 44% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than Lehigh based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 7,590 students)

Lehigh vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lehigh or Purdue?

  • Lehigh University is 529.6% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 114.5% higher at Lehigh than Purdue University Main Campus ($61,180.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Lehigh ($12,421 vs. $33,289)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 41.4% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($11,650 vs. $16,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lehigh University than Purdue University Main Campus (59% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 292.3% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($43,644 vs. $11,126)

Lehigh vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 107 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (50.3%) than Lehigh (29.3%)

Lehigh vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lehigh or Purdue? 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 Purdue and Lehigh.

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (87% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $28,000 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $61,200)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $2,756 lower median federal student loan debt than Lehigh graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,256)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Lehigh graduates. ($222 vs. $250)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue 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/