PA
Lehigh University
2.21 incidents / 1,000 students
Bethlehem, PA · Clery Act 2024 · Private Nonprofit
Lehigh University
Across 2022–2024, Lehigh University reported 29 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count rose over that span (largest filed category: Burglary). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.
- 2.21
- Incidents / 1k students
- #1,095
- Rank of 2,072
- #71
- PA rank
- 7,692
- Enrolled students
2.21 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
Lehigh University reports 2.21 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 35% below Westcliff University. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Westcliff University (0.00/1k); Pitt Community College (0.52/1k); University of North Carolina at Pembroke (9.38/1k); California State University-Monterey Bay (6.74/1k); West Valley College (0.39/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (2.95/1k); Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia (3.07/1k); Duquesne University (0.85/1k); Thomas Jefferson University (3.52/1k); Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (0.96/1k); Millersville University of Pennsylvania (1.15/1k); Eastern University (1.26/1k); Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus (3.20/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Burglary.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 2.21
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #1,095
- report fewer incidents than this campus
- 53%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 11
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 213543 · Lehigh University 2.21/1k score rate · #1,095/2,072
RATE-MID · RANK-LOWER · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO
- RATE-MID 2.21/1k
- RANK-LOWER #1,095/2,072
- ST-MID #71 in state
- ABOVE-PEER Pitt Community College · +1.69
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-UP ↑ 22%
- CAT-LEAD Burglary
- ENR-MID 7,692
- FIRE-ZERO 0 fires filed
Nearest enrollment peer: Pitt Community College (-1.69/1k)
Lehigh University sheet RATE-MID · RANK-LOWER · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO · peer Pitt Community College. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.
Clery plate RATE-MID · RANK-LOWER · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is Pitt Community College (-1.69/1k). National rank #1,095 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
Lehigh University reports 2.21 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 35% below Westcliff University. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Westcliff University (0.00/1k); Pitt Community College (0.52/1k); University of North Carolina at Pembroke (9.38/1k); California State University-Monterey Bay (6.74/1k); West Valley College (0.39/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (2.95/1k); Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia (3.07/1k); Duquesne University (0.85/1k); Thomas Jefferson University (3.52/1k); Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (0.96/1k); Millersville University of Pennsylvania (1.15/1k); Eastern University (1.26/1k); Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus (3.20/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Burglary.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around Lehigh University
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest Lehigh on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Westcliff University · lowest peer 0
Westcliff University — lowest peer
0 per 1,000 students
- West Valley College · near 0.39
West Valley College — near
0.39 per 1,000 students
- Pitt Community College · near 0.52
Pitt Community College — near
0.52 per 1,000 students
- Lehigh University · this campus 2.21
Lehigh University — this campus
2.21 per 1,000 students
- University of North Carolina · highest peer
University of North Carolina at Pembroke — highest peer
9.38 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Lehigh University's 2.21/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
Lehigh University increased from 9 to 11 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesSignature insight · size does not equal danger
Campus size vs reported safety rate
Among 37 PA 4-year peers in this comparison, Lehigh University is larger than 78% and safer-reporting than 53% - the larger, safer-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.
Read the chart as text
- Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 75, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 72, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 83
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 83, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 28
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 81
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 75
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 67, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 64, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 78
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 56, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 53, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 67
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 47, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 25
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 47
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 44, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 56
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 22
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 33, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 97
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 94
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 28, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 44
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 22, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 17
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 92
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 17, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 33
- Point 32: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 11, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
- Point 33: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 100
- Point 34: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 86
- Point 35: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 11
- Point 36: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Lehigh University: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 78, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 53
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gettysburg College | 2,812 | 12.80 | 0 | 0 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 2,885 | 7.28 | 3 | 11 |
| Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine | 2,901 | 0.69 | 6 | 86 |
| Mount Aloysius College | 2,955 | 0.00 | 8 | 100 |
| Saint Francis University | 2,963 | 3.38 | 11 | 31 |
| DeSales University | 2,972 | 3.36 | 14 | 33 |
| La Salle University | 3,153 | 12.05 | 17 | 3 |
| Holy Family University | 3,225 | 0.62 | 19 | 92 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 3,336 | 6.00 | 22 | 17 |
| Messiah University | 3,373 | 10.97 | 25 | 6 |
| Arcadia University | 3,404 | 2.94 | 28 | 44 |
| Lehigh University (this campus) | 7,692 | 2.21 | 78 | 53 |
Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.
What changed between 2023 and 2024
Reported on-campus incidents at Lehigh University rose from 9 to 11 (+22%). The increase shows up in Burglary (6 to 8).
This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.
What actually gets reported at Lehigh University
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 3 Clery Act categories here: Burglary, Rape and Fondling. Burglary accounts for most of them.
The remaining 8 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, among them Aggravated Assault, Arson, Incest and Motor Vehicle Theft. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.
Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlyLehigh University: Criminal Offenses by year
Rising 22% (9 → 11 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 9 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 11 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary | 8 | 6 | 3 |
| Rape | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Fondling | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
9 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 10 | 20 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 10 | 213 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 47 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 5 | 230 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 2 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 0 | 49 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 3 | 236 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
Lehigh University vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).
CA
Westcliff University
0.00 incidents / 1,000 students
NC
Pitt Community College
0.52 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where Lehigh University sits on price and outcomes
At $36,931, Lehigh University's reported average net price is cheaper than 96% among 261 Pennsylvania colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $19,954.
- $36,931
- average net price
- $19,954
- Pennsylvania median
- 4.0×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $31,834
- reported income-bracket spread
Aid here is steeply income-scaled. Families reporting under $30,000 of income record a net price of $16,917, while those above $110,000 record $48,751 - roughly 2.9 times as much. A published average of $36,931 therefore describes very few families well; the bracket nearest your own income is the more useful figure.
Six-year median earnings of $88,810 run about 2.4 times the annual net price. The margin is real but narrow, so how many years of price a student actually pays matters a great deal here.
Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $64,980
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $64,980
- Avg Net Price
- $36,931
- Median Debt
- $21,960
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 18%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 26%
- SAT Average
- 1440
- SAT Math Range
- 690-770
- ACT Average
- 32
- ACT Range
- 31-34
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 89%
- Retention Rate
- 94%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $88,810
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $105,584
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 91%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 905 similar institutions by enrollment size.
Westcliff University
Irvine, CA · 7,686 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Pitt Community College
Winterville, NC · 7,684 enrolled
Safety Score 0.52
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Pembroke, NC · 7,674 enrolled
Safety Score 9.38
California State University-Monterey Bay
Seaside, CA · 7,713 enrolled
Safety Score 6.74
West Valley College
Saratoga, CA · 7,655 enrolled
Safety Score 0.39
Closest by National Rank
Lehigh University (national rank #1095) sits near Howard University (#1096) and Harcum College (#1094) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for Lehigh University, both outside PA so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
Westcliff University
Irvine, CA · 7,686 enrolled
Safety score 0.00
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Pembroke, NC · 7,674 enrolled
Safety score 9.38
California State University-Monterey Bay
Seaside, CA · 7,713 enrolled
Safety score 6.74
St. Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL · 7,652 enrolled
Safety score 0.91
University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME · 7,604 enrolled
Safety score 3.02
Adelphi University
Garden City, NY · 7,603 enrolled
Safety score 4.74
University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College
Blue Ash, OH · 7,787 enrolled
Safety score 0.00
Ensign College
Salt Lake City, UT · 7,594 enrolled
Safety score 1.19
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
Howard University
Washington, DC · 14,890 enrolled
Safety score 2.22
Bethel University
Saint Paul, MN · 3,603 enrolled
Safety score 2.22
Kent State University at Kent
Kent, OH · 26,374 enrolled
Safety score 2.20
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, MO · 6,826 enrolled
Safety score 2.20
Eastern Washington University
Cheney, WA · 10,492 enrolled
Safety score 2.19
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA · 8,976 enrolled
Safety score 2.23
American University
Washington, DC · 12,321 enrolled
Safety score 2.19
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
New Brunswick, NJ · 52,269 enrolled
Safety score 2.24
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lehigh University safe?
Lehigh University has a safety score of 2.21 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #1,095 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: Westcliff University (0.00/1k). Same-state same-level set: Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (2.95/1k); Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia (3.07/1k); Duquesne University (0.85/1k); Thomas Jefferson University (3.52/1k); Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (0.96/1k); Millersville University of Pennsylvania (1.15/1k); Eastern University (1.26/1k); Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus (3.20/1k).
What crimes are reported at Lehigh University?
For calendar year 2024, Lehigh University reported Burglary (8), Rape (2) and Fondling (1) in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does Lehigh University compare to similar schools?
Lehigh University reports 35% fewer 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than Westcliff University. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: Westcliff University (0.00/1k); Pitt Community College (0.52/1k); University of North Carolina at Pembroke (9.38/1k); California State University-Monterey Bay (6.74/1k); West Valley College (0.39/1k). Same-state same-level set: Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (2.95/1k); Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia (3.07/1k); Duquesne University (0.85/1k); Thomas Jefferson University (3.52/1k); Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (0.96/1k); Millersville University of Pennsylvania (1.15/1k); Eastern University (1.26/1k); Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus (3.20/1k).
Does Lehigh University have fire safety data?
Yes. Lehigh University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. No fires were reported in the most recent year.
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.