Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Bethlehem, Pennsylvania shows: median public in-state tuition $36,006 (+553.2% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $83,722 (+54.1% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 81.4% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $15,495 (+15.4% vs U.S.) 16,100 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 8 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 16,100 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $36,006 (+553.2% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $83,722 (+54.1% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 81.4% (-6.5 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $27,006 (+170.9% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $15,495 (+15.4% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $13,000
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 79.8%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 86.4%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Pennsylvania and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Bethlehem vs Pennsylvania & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | $36,006 | $27,006 | $15,495 | 79.8% | 16,100 |
| Pennsylvania (state median) | $11,486 | $17,754 | $17,500 | 57.9% | 469,126 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | $83,722 | 81.4% | 86.4% | 1.9% | — | 88.1% | 0.32 |
| Pennsylvania (state median) | $62,101 | 87.2% | 78.6% | 4.5% | — | 79.3% | 0.43 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Pennsylvania (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | $36,006 | $27,006 | $15,495 | 79.8% | 16,100 | $83,722 | 81.4% |
| Philadelphia | $26,255 | $25,437 | $18,765 | 59.3% | 75,415 | $65,572 | 85.8% |
| Pittsburgh | $18,463 | $25,509 | $15,667 | 63.1% | 51,847 | $52,410 | 90.2% |
| Harrisburg | $20,645 | $14,924 | $18,583 | 33.9% | 10,347 | $52,374 | 86.9% |
| Reading | $15,972 | $22,190 | $20,885 | 50.7% | 9,432 | $58,700 | 88.3% |
| Media | $15,029 | $12,213 | $16,500 | 23.5% | 9,216 | $63,435 | 87.2% |
| Scranton | $18,400 | $21,354 | $18,075 | 75.7% | 8,482 | $65,234 | 80.9% |
| Erie | $20,645 | $22,553 | $18,500 | 60.2% | 8,356 | $58,845 | 87.2% |
| Lancaster | $31,070 | $20,407 | $18,250 | 68.6% | 7,065 | $44,096 | 78.9% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 87.9%, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
-
Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 71.7%, Moravian University
Moravian University
Top 10 colleges in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 88.4%, Moravian University
Moravian University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 74.4%, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Top 10 most selective colleges in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 25.9%, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 54.2%, Moravian University
Moravian University
Top 10 colleges in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $88,587, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $82,585, Moravian University
Moravian University
Top 10 colleges in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $141,691, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $88,293, Moravian University
Moravian University
Top 10 colleges in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $88,810, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $53,471, Moravian University
Moravian University
Top 10 colleges in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $97,731, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $56,840, Moravian University
Moravian University
Top 10 colleges in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $105,584, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $61,860, Moravian University
Moravian University
Top 10 colleges in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $319,308, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $137,462, Moravian University
Moravian University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $30,670, Moravian University
Moravian University
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Rank 2, Net Price, $36,931, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Top 10 colleges in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 93.7%, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 79.2%, Moravian University
Moravian University
In-state tuition: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania median in-state tuition is $36,006, +553.2% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is $15,495 (+15.4% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $13,000.
Median earnings (10 years out): Bethlehem, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania center around $83,722 (+54.1% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 81.4% at the median Bethlehem, Pennsylvania campus (-6.5 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania median public in-state tuition is $36,006, about +553.2% vs the national median. Versus the Mid East region, tuition is +387.8%.
Median graduate debt is $15,495 (+15.4% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania are $83,722, about +54.1% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 81.4% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-6.5 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 86.4% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 1.9% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 88.1% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Moravian University (88.4%), Lehigh University (74.4%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is 79.8% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Bethlehem?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 8 campuses in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Bethlehem?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Bethlehem is $36,006 and median net price is $27,006. For Pennsylvania overall, medians are $11,486 and $17,754; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Bethlehem?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Bethlehem is $83,722 vs $62,101 for Pennsylvania and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Bethlehem colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Bethlehem is $15,495 vs $17,500 for Pennsylvania and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Bethlehem?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Lehigh University (graduation) and Lehigh University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Bethlehem?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 8 campuses in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 3 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Northampton County Area Community College, Lehigh Valley Barber School, and Falcon Institute of Health and Science; 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Moravian Church (1).
Sources & related
- Pennsylvania college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON