George Washington University (GWU) vs Lehigh

When it comes to higher education, George Washington University (GWU) and Lehigh University stand out as two prominent institutions with distinct offerings. GWU, located in the heart of Washington, D.C., boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on public affairs and international relations. On the other hand, Lehigh, situated in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is known for its engineering and business programs, as well as its beautiful campus. With acceptance rates of 43% and 29%, respectively, both universities offer a competitive admissions process. While GWU's student body is more diverse, with 53% female and 47% male students, Lehigh's student body is predominantly male, with a 60% male to 40% female ratio. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into key aspects of these universities, including popular majors, graduation rates, and financial aid options.
George Washington University logo

George Washington University

Lehigh University logo

Lehigh University

Overview

Location Washington, District of Columbia Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Campus setting City: Large City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 91.0% 94.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 49.7% 46.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $80

Graduate: $80
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1310 - 1490 1325 - 1490
ACT range 30 - 34 30 - 34
Students submitting SAT score 29.0% 36.0%
Students submitting ACT score 18.0% 18.0%
Total number of applicants 27,236 14,107
Total number of admissions given out 13,539 6,485
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,571 1,519
Yield rate 19.0% 23.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $78,335 $74,865
Average net price $31,240 $31,539
Tuition $59,780 $56,980
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $15,260

Meal plan: $3,240
Room/dormitory: $9,030

Meal plan: $6,300
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

74.0%
Average amount $31,678
54.0%
Average amount $39,972
Students receiving federal student loan 30.0%
Average amount $5,150
41.0%
Average amount $4,954
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $25,366
19.0%
Average amount $12,089

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11,502
Men 36.3% Women 63.7%
5,451
Men 54.0% Women 46.0%
Graduate students 14,955
Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
1,812
Men 53.1% Women 46.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 98.7% N/A
International students 11.6% 13.6%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Small
Dormitory capacity 6,693 2,856
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York New Jersey Virginia California Pennsylvania N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Legal Profession
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Mathematics and Statistics
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 83.7% 87.3%
Dropout rate 16.1% 12.4%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Systems Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $160,692
  • Year 2: $146,893
  • Year 3: $153,607
Human Resources Management and Services (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,764
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $130,306
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,241
  • Year 2: $127,142
  • Year 3: $127,952
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $107,834
  • Year 2: $114,046
  • Year 3: $119,393
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,809
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $112,813
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $98,922
  • Year 2: $104,061
  • Year 3: $111,679
Public Health (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $84,962
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $105,816
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,747
  • Year 2: $96,405
  • Year 3: $105,562
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,274
  • Year 2: $101,254
  • Year 3: $103,350
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,345
  • Year 2: $83,177
  • Year 3: $102,875
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,409
  • Year 2: $74,142
  • Year 3: $96,587
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,252
  • Year 2: $78,552
  • Year 3: $94,991
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,434
  • Year 2: $81,491
  • Year 3: $93,797
Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,418
  • Year 2: $73,446
  • Year 3: $87,192
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,069
  • Year 2: $75,623
  • Year 3: $86,603
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,293
  • Year 2: $74,200
  • Year 3: $86,360
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,520
  • Year 2: $70,324
  • Year 3: $83,095
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,490
  • Year 2: $71,351
  • Year 3: $82,322
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,444
  • Year 2: $72,325
  • Year 3: $80,631
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,497
  • Year 2: $69,710
  • Year 3: $80,502

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