Is Lehigh test optional?

Yes. You can apply without a score. A common rule is to send it if it's at or above 1430 and hold it if it's under.

What is Lehigh's acceptance rate?

26% of applicants were admitted in 2025–26, according to the college's Common Data Set or, where that's missing, IPEDS, the federal college survey. In fall 2024, 5,289 of 20,396 applicants were admitted. Applications rose 59%, from 12,843 in 2015 to 20,396 in 2024, and Lehigh's admit rate went from 30% to 26%.

What ACT score do you need for Lehigh?

10% of first-year students sent an ACT, and they scored 31–34, with a median of 33. On the official ACT–SAT concordance, their SAT range of 1380–1480 works out to about 30–33.

Why might Lehigh's SAT range look high?

Only 33% of enrolled students sent an SAT. The range counts only those who did, and students with lower scores tend to hold theirs back.

Does applying early decision help at Lehigh?

47% of early decision applicants were admitted (966 of 2,040), against 26% of all applicants. Early pools often include recruited athletes and other strong applicants, so the real edge is smaller than the gap.

How many students get off the waitlist at Lehigh?

80 of the 1,988 students who stayed on the waitlist were admitted, or 4.0%, per the Common Data Set 2025–26.

All colleges

What SAT score do you need for Lehigh? (Middle 50%: 1380–1480)

First-year students at Lehigh who sent an SAT scored 1380–1480, with a median of 1430 (Common Data Set 2025–26). Lehigh admits 26% of applicants and is test optional.

Lehigh University · Bethlehem, PA

Where your score lands at Lehigh

First-year students who sent an SAT: 1380–1480, median 1430

Your score

Middle 50% of admitted students Median Fewer than half sent a score, so the range runs high

Enter your SAT or ACT to see which tier Lehigh is for you and whether to send your score.

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Lehigh by the numbers

Admit rate: 26%
Middle 50% SAT: 1380–1480
Median SAT: 1430
About on the ACT: 30–33
Sent an SAT: 33%

Test optional · checked Nov 9, 2026 · Lehigh admissions · SAT range from the Common Data Set, 2025–26; admit rate from it or IPEDS

Lehigh admit rate over 10 years

Applications rose 59%, from 12,843 in 2015 to 20,396 in 2024, and Lehigh's admit rate went from 30% to 26%.

Show the numbers

Fall	Applied	Admitted	Admit rate
2024	20,396	5,289	26%
2023	18,415	5,389	29%
2022	15,163	5,607	37%
2021	14,107	6,485	46%
2020	12,389	6,138	50%
2019	15,649	5,023	32%
2018	15,622	3,488	22%
2017	13,871	3,489	25%
2016	13,403	3,499	26%
2015	12,843	3,905	30%

In fall 2024, 1,501 of the 5,289 admitted students enrolled. Applicants and admits from IPEDS, the federal college survey, by fall of entry.

What each SAT score means at Lehigh

Which tier your score puts them in, and whether it's worth sending.

Your SATTierSend it?

Under 1330Far reachHold
1330–1370ReachHold
1380–1420TargetHold
1430 and upTargetSend

12001300140015001600

Tiers here use only your SAT and their admit rate. Essays, activities and recommendations still decide most admissions at selective colleges.

Lehigh SAT sections, ACT and class rank

Scores of enrolled first-year students who sent one, by percentile.

Test	25th	Median	75th
SAT Math	690	720	760
SAT Reading and Writing	680	710	740
SAT total	1380	1430	1480
ACT composite	31	33	34

Of enrolled first-year students, 33% sent an SAT and 10% sent an ACT. Common Data Set 2025–26.

Top 10% of their class: 60%; of new students who reported a rank

Lehigh early decision and waitlist

Early decision

966 of 2,040 early decision applicants were admitted.

Early decision47%
All applicants26%

Early pools often include recruited athletes and other strong applicants, so the gap overstates how much applying early helps on its own.

Waitlist

4,083 applicants were offered a spot, 1,988 took it, and 80 were admitted from it.

4.0%of students who stayed on the waitlist got in

Common Data Set 2025–26.

Lehigh cost and outcomes

What students pay after grants, how many finish, and what they earn.

Average net price: $36,931; per year, after grants
Graduate in 6 years: 88%
Median earnings: $105,584; 10 years after starting
Undergraduates: 6,147

College Scorecard, 2022–23, from the US Department of Education. Net price averages federal-aid students across family incomes.

Colleges like Lehigh

Similar SAT ranges and admit rates.

Sources

Lehigh Common Data Set 2025–26
SAT and ACT ranges, early decision, waitlist, GPA and class rank, as the college reported them.
College Navigator (IPEDS)
Applications, admissions and enrollment by year, from the federal college survey.
College Scorecard
Net price, graduation rate and earnings, from the US Department of Education.
Lehigh admissions
Test policy for 2026–27, checked Nov 9, 2026.
Lehigh website
Lehigh University

Updated Nov 9, 2026. Spot a number that's off? Email support@tryashore.com and we'll check it against the source.

Questions

Still have a question? support@tryashore.com

There's no cutoff. The middle 50% of first-year students who sent an SAT scored 1380–1480, and the median was 1430. At 1430 or higher you're above half of them. Lehigh admits 26% of applicants.

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SAT Math · 1 of 5

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A jacket's price is increased by 20% and then the new price is decreased by 20%. The final price is what percent of the original price?

A $96\%$
B $100\%$
C $104\%$
D $80\%$