Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private Carnegie R1 research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, serving 7,000+ undergraduate and graduate students across five colleges through on-campus, online, and executive education programs while operating AI-driven research centers in catastrophe modeling, energy, smart grids, and healthcare.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1865
- HeadquartersBethlehem, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Lehigh University does
Lehigh University is a private, nonprofit Carnegie R1 research university founded in 1865 and headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It enrolls 7,000+ undergraduate and graduate students across five colleges (Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, Health, and P.C. Rossin College of Engineering & Applied Science), with an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The institution delivers degree programs on-campus and through online/distance education, executive education via the Vistex Institute housed in a LEED Gold-certified $35 million Business Innovation Building, and AI certifications through partnerships with Google AI for Education Accelerator and LinkedIn Learning under its campus-wide AI Readiness initiative launched October 2023.
Lehigh operates multiple research centers with distinct technology portfolios: CERCat (a consortium with Rice University and insurance/reinsurance Industry Advisory Board members including Arch Insurance, Chubb, Everest Re, and Moody's) develops AI-driven catastrophe modeling, remote sensing damage assessment, and hurricane/climate hazard prediction; ACES (Center for Advancing Community Electrification Solutions) researches grid electrification and AI data center energy; and additional labs work on smart grid ML control (NSF CAREER-awarded), DARPA METALS AI-powered aerospace component design with MIT and Carnegie Mellon, DOE-funded clean hydrogen and rare earth extraction, and wearable technology for women's health with Ultrahuman and Geisinger. Core revenue streams include tuition and fees, federal and state research grants (DOE, NSF, DARPA), executive education, and the Q1 2026 Lehigh Business Supply Chain Risk Management Index with CSCMP.
The university's go-to-market combines traditional admissions recruitment, online education distribution, executive/corporate partnerships, and sponsored research consortia. With $154M+ in recent DOE commitments, a 92% Class of 2025 graduate placement rate, $77K average starting salary, and a Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranking of 29th best U.S. university, Lehigh positions itself as an outcomes-oriented R1 institution with interdisciplinary research depth in AI, energy, catastrophe modeling, and healthcare. The GO Beyond Campaign for Future Makers is the most ambitious fundraising effort in its history.
Lehigh University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lehigh University
- Legal name
- Lehigh University
- Website
- https://lehigh.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1865
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Lehigh University is a private Carnegie R1 research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, serving 7,000+ undergraduate and graduate students across five colleges through on-campus, online, and executive education programs while operating AI-driven research centers in catastrophe modeling, energy, smart grids, and healthcare.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lehigh University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)
Keywords
Where Lehigh University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bethlehem
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Lehigh University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate education programs including online and distance education offerings
- Research Grants and Sponsored Programs: Federal and state research funding from agencies including DOE, NSF, DARPA for various research initiatives in energy, engineering, and catastrophe modeling
- Executive Education and Corporate Partnerships: Revenue from Vistex Institute for Executive Education and corporate training programs housed in Business Innovation Building
- Supply Chain Research Index: Q1 2026 Lehigh Business Supply Chain Risk Management Index launched with CSCMP providing research and benchmarking services
- AI Education Certifications: Google AI for Education Accelerator and LinkedIn Learning partnerships provide AI certifications as part of AI Readiness initiative
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Undergraduate and Graduate Education |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Lehigh University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lehigh University delivers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs across five undergraduate colleges and a graduate college, alongside faculty-led sponsored research and industry-engagement activities. It also operates research centers, continuing education, and executive education offerings for working professionals and corporate partners.
Product overview
Lehigh University is a Carnegie-classified R1 research institution offering educational programs through five colleges (Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, Health, and P.C. Rossin College of Engineering & Applied Science). The university's technology offerings include research centers focused on AI-driven catastrophe modeling (CERCat), electrification solutions (ACES), and smart grid research. The institution operates the AI Readiness initiative for student AI education and provides library/technology services including research computing, digital collections, and campus safety applications like HawkWatch. The 158th commencement in 2026 featured over 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GO Beyond: The Campaign for Future Makers - Lehigh's fundraising and engagement campaign
- ACES
- CERCat
Products and services
- Undergraduate Degree Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- 92% of Class of 2025 graduates employed or continuing education within 6 months
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Lehigh University
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Lehigh University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability14 records
Feature6 records
Lehigh University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- West Virginia UniversityminorUniversity research partner for DOE rare earth elements extraction from industrial waste streams.
- Penn StateminorUniversity research partner for DOE rare earth elements extraction from industrial waste streams.
- University of KentuckyminorUniversity research partner for DOE rare earth elements extraction from industrial waste streams.
- UC DavisminorUniversity research partner for DOE rare earth elements extraction from industrial waste streams.
- Keystone AI + Quantum Factory PartnerscoreStatewide innovation network including Carnegie Mellon, Drexel, Penn State, Temple, UPenn, Pitt, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Team Pennsylvania for AI and quantum research translation.
- Idaho National LaboratorycoreClean hydrogen production research partnership with Lehigh and Energy Research Company selected for major DOE funding round.
- Energy Research CompanycoreClean hydrogen generation research partner in DOE-funded project combining machine learning with laser-based sensors and AI fiber-optic sensors.
- Rice UniversitycoreLaunched Consortium for Enhancing Resilience and Catastrophe Modeling (CERCat) to improve disaster resilience through academic-industry collaboration. Faculty leaders include Professor Jamie Padgett and David Casigrande. Six research projects launched August 2025.
- Arch InsurancecoreCERCat Industry Advisory Board inaugural chair Kurtis Malone serves as chair. Collaboration on catastrophe modeling research including AI-driven damage assessment and hazard prediction.
- Chubb InsurancecoreCERCat Industry Advisory Board member contributing to research priorities for hurricane, wildfire, flood, and severe convective storm modeling.
- Everest ReinsurancecoreCERCat consortium member from reinsurance sector providing industry perspective on catastrophe risk management research.
- Moody'scoreCERCat Industry Advisory Board member providing catastrophe modeling and risk assessment expertise.
- IRENESminorCoal mine waste reclamation project in Illinois as part of DOE rare earth elements initiative.
- Geisinger Health SystemminorPediatric and adolescent athlete wearable tech research addressing gaps in available devices for younger populations.
- MITcoreDARPA METALS program collaboration developing AI-powered design tools for aerospace components using compositionally graded alloys.
- Carnegie Mellon UniversitycoreDARPA METALS program for AI-powered aerospace component design combining machine learning, topology optimization, and generative modeling.
- Google AI for Education AcceleratorcorePartnership for AI Readiness initiative providing Gemini for Education and NotebookLM tools to enhance teaching, learning, and research across campus.
- LinkedIn LearningcoreAI certifications and courses partnership as part of AI Readiness initiative positioning Lehigh as leader in AI education.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lehigh University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Drexel University: Private R1 research university in Philadelphia, PA with strong engineering college and applied research model. Geographic peer sharing Pennsylvania labor market, R1 status, and engineering-led identity, plus co-participation in Keystone AI + Quantum Factory.
- Tufts University: Private R1 research university in Medford, MA with comparable enrollment (~7,000 undergrad), five-school structure, and engineering focus (School of Engineering). Closely matched in size, selectivity, and private R1 positioning.
- Bucknell University: Private university in Lewisburg, PA with strong engineering college (College of Engineering) and similar enrollment (~4,000 undergrads, 7,000+ students). Regional peer competing with Lehigh for Pennsylvania students and engineering talent.
- Case Western Reserve University: Private R1 research university in Cleveland, OH with comparable size (~7,000 students), strong engineering college (Case School of Engineering), and similar emphasis on industry partnerships and federal research funding. Highly comparable in scale and strategic posture to Lehigh.
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Private polytechnic-style R1 university in Massachusetts with project-based applied learning model. Comparable in size, engineering intensity, and industry-partnered applied research orientation.
- Carnegie Mellon University: Private R1 research university in Pittsburgh, PA with strong engineering and applied sciences focus. Direct peer sharing Lehigh's geographic (Pennsylvania), Carnegie R1, and engineering-intensive identity, and co-participant in the Keystone AI + Quantum Factory innovation network and DARPA METALS program.
- Stevens Institute of Technology: Private R1 research university in Hoboken, NJ with concentrated engineering/tech identity and similar enrollment scale. Competes with Lehigh for Northeast private R1 engineering applicants and faculty talent.
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Private polytechnic-style R1 research university in Troy, NY with a STEM/engineering identity even more concentrated than Lehigh's. Comparable in size, tuition model, and engineering/applied-science differentiation against larger private universities.
- Rice University: Private R1 research university in Houston, TX and Lehigh's explicit co-lead on the CERCat catastrophe-modeling consortium launched April 2025. Closest strategic partner with a similar size, endowment tier, and engineering/applied sciences emphasis.
Broad incumbents
- Cornell University: Private Ivy League R1 university with broad engineering and applied sciences footprint. Larger, broader incumbent peer operating with the same private R1 research-intensive model and competing for similar faculty, students, and federal research dollars.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lehigh University social profiles
Digital presenceLehigh University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lehigh University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Lehigh University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lehigh University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lehigh University
What does Lehigh University do?
Lehigh University delivers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs across five undergraduate colleges and a graduate college, alongside faculty-led sponsored research and industry-engagement activities. It also operates research centers, continuing education, and executive education offerings for working professionals and corporate partners.
Is Lehigh University a public or private company?
Lehigh University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Lehigh University founded?
Lehigh University was founded in 1865. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Lehigh University based?
Lehigh University is headquartered in Bethlehem, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lehigh University make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are research Grants and Sponsored Programs, executive Education and Corporate Partnerships, supply Chain Research Index and AI Education Certifications.
Who are Lehigh University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Drexel University, Tufts University, Bucknell University, Case Western Reserve University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Rice University. Cornell University is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Lehigh University have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lehigh University.
What industry is Lehigh University in?
Lehigh University's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAEAB, Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.