UMBC vs. Lehigh

Should I go to University of Maryland Baltimore County or Lehigh University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMBC or Lehigh 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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University of Maryland Baltimore County vs. Lehigh University comparison
University of Maryland Baltimore County Lehigh University College 3 College 4
University of Maryland Baltimore County Lehigh University
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Overview

UMBC Lehigh
Location Baltimore, MD Bethlehem, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 13,991 7,394
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #54
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu lehigh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UMBC Lehigh
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $58,970
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $58,970
Room & Board $13,378 $15,890
Avg Net Price $17,692 $30,453
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $44,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 55%

Admission

UMBC Lehigh
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 15,163
Admitted 9,291 5,607
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 37%
Enrolled % 23.1% 26.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 23/29 30/33
SAT Range 1210/1390 1340/1490
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 Feb 1, 2024 Jan 1, 2024

Academics

UMBC Lehigh
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

UMBC Lehigh
Graduation Rate 57% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $89,200
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $24,256
Median Loan Payment $219 $250

Diversity

UMBC Lehigh
% Men 53% 54%
% Women 47% 46%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 44% 66%
% Black 17% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 8%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

UMBC Lehigh
% In-State 90% 21%
% Out-of-State 5% 71%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than than Lehigh based on total student enrollment (13,991 students vs. 7,394 students)

UMBC vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Lehigh?

  • Lehigh University is 551.2% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($58,970.00 vs. $9,056.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 128.4% higher at Lehigh than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($58,970.00 vs. $25,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Lehigh ($17,692 vs. $30,453)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 18.8% lower than costs at Lehigh University ($13,378 vs. $15,890)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Lehigh University (92% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 396.3% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($44,116 vs. $8,889)

UMBC vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lehigh University (1338) is 129 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
  • Incoming Lehigh students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UMBC (27)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Lehigh (3.81)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than Lehigh (37%)

UMBC vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (87% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $29,700 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $59,500)
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $3,059 lower median federal student loan debt than Lehigh graduates. ($21,197 vs. $24,256)
  • UMBC graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Lehigh graduates. ($219 vs. $250)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 67%)

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