Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA · founded 1865 · 7,100 students · private research university · Patriot League

Known for: Lehigh is a leading private research university, famous for its strong engineering and business programs and its historic rivalry with nearby Lafayette College, which is the most-played rivalry in college football.

Rankings

U.S. News national: #47
QS World: #801
Times Higher Education: #601
ARWU Shanghai: #601
Forbes: #71

Top programmes

Engineering
Business
Computer Science
Finance
Psychology
Architecture

Notable alumni

Lee Iacocca — Former CEO of Chrysler and Ford executive
J. B. Pritzker — Governor of Illinois
Roger Penske — Founder of Penske Corporation, IndyCar team owner
Terry Hart — NASA astronaut
William H. Donaldson — Former Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Marty Baron — Former executive editor of The Washington Post
Charlie Dent — Former U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania
Joseph J. Jacobs — Founder of Jacobs Engineering Group

Traditions

The Rivalry (vs. Lafayette College)
Founder's Day
The Lehigh-Lafayette football game
Bed Races

If Lehigh University were…

As a food: Philly cheesesteak with extra grit — Like Lehigh, it's hearty, no-nonsense, and built for endurance—a blue-collar masterpiece with elite ingredients.
As an athlete: Chuck Bednarik — Lehigh legend and NFL ironman who embodied toughness, precision, and relentless effort—the university's ethos in cleats.
As a person alive today: Elon Musk — Engineering-obsessed, brutally competitive, and relentlessly ambitious—Lehigh mirrors his blend of industrial grit and disruptive innovation.
As a historical figure: Andrew Carnegie — Industrial titan who built empires through steel, sweat, and shrewd calculation—Lehigh is his academic counterpart in the Rust Belt.
As a movie or TV show: The Social Network — A tale of brilliant, competitive minds clashing in intense environments—Lehigh's culture of high-stakes engineering and finance echoes this vibe.
As a US president: Theodore Roosevelt — Strenuous, industrious, and built for hard challenges—Lehigh shares his belief in grit over glamour and action over words.
As a city: Pittsburgh — Gritty, engineering-driven, and reinvented through innovation—Lehigh is the smaller-scale academic version of this steel-to-tech transformation.
As an element: Iron — Strong, foundational, and essential for industry—Lehigh operates like the elemental backbone of engineering and finance.
As a car: BMW 3 Series (E46) — Sporty, ambitious, and engineered for performance—Lehigh blends rigorous academics with Greek life and competitive athletics in a campus that climbs the South Mountain hillside. It's the go-to for strivers who want prest

Campus life

Lehigh has a vibrant campus life with a strong Greek presence and many student clubs. The campus is divided into three distinct sections (Asa Packer, Mountaintop, and Goodman) connected by shuttle. Social life is active, with a mix of parties, school spirit events, and outdoor activities in the Lehigh Valley.