Acceptance Rate
31%
Avg. SAT
1500
75th percentile
“Lafayette College fuses small liberal arts intimacy with hands-on engineering grit in historic Easton, where you'll ring the Victory Bell after crushing Lehigh.”
Easton, PA
Location
Large Suburb
Campus Setting
You'll step onto a campus founded in 1826, just after the Marquis de Lafayette's emotional farewell tour of America, embodying that era's blend of Enlightenment ideals and practical patriotism—originally Presbyterian but now proudly secular. Lafayette draws students who crave collaboration over cutthroat competition: think ambitious engineers tinkering alongside policy wonks debating global affairs, all in a spirited, understated community that prizes loyalty and grit. The Leopards' personality shines through in their Division I athletic fervor, especially the brutal Rivalry with Lehigh, but trade that for Easton's sleepy suburb vibe—a walkable grid of Victorian homes, indie bookstores, and the Crayola Experience, 90 minutes from Philly or NYC. It's not for party-chasers seeking urban pulse; winters bite hard, and the small-town pace demands you build your own fun.
Photo Gallery
+35
+27
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
In Lafayette's seminar-style classrooms, where your 10:1 student-faculty ratio means professors like Engineering Dean Mary K. Pilone remember your name and push you into real research from day one, you'll dive into strengths like the nation's oldest continuously accredited engineering program at a liberal arts college or the Government and Law Department's pipeline to top law schools. You can double-major in mechanical engineering and ethics, say, or join the EXCEL Scholars engineering co-op that lands summer gigs at Boeing. Intellectual life buzzes with the Marquis Series bringing in speakers like Samantha Power, but expect tradeoffs: limited grad-level seminars compared to big research unis, and STEM tracks demand heavier loads than fluffy humanities paths.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
2,775 undergrad • 0 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
68%
Black / African American
6%
Hispanic / Latino
9%
Asian
4%
Other / Multi-racial
14%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Easton, PA
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
A typical week kicks off with Monday morning yoga in Farinon Hall, segues to Thursday tailgates before Friday's Patriot League game, and wraps with spontaneous acapella jams in your quad dorm—Lafayette's residential system clusters you into close-knit houses like the artsy Kirby neighborhood or jock-heavy South Campus. Greek life claims about half the undergrads, fueling philanthropy bashes more than ragers, while 150+ clubs—from ultimate frisbee to the Masquers improv troupe—keep isolation at bay. Traditions like stealing Lehigh's Gong for the Rivalry Trophy or the post-win Victory Bell ring bind everyone, but challenges lurk: the social scene skews preppy-athletic, potentially sidelining introverts, and Easton's quiet nights mean weekend drives to Allentown for bigger scenes amid snowy slush.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
Patriot League
ROTC & Veteran Support
Army
Yes
Navy
No
Air Force
No
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$24,133
$30K – $48K
$19,036
$48K – $75K
$30,271
$75K – $110K
$34,957
$110K+
$53,627
Apply for Financial Aid
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Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
90%
4 Years Graduation Rate
85%
6 Years Graduation Rate
88%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$91,410
90% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Lafayette College and return in the fall. 85% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 88% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
85%
4-5 years
3%
6-8 years
1%
Non-grad
11%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$58,110
Acceptance
31%
Undergrads
2,775
4-Year Grad Rate
85%
Endowment
$851M
Easton, PA 18042-1768
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