Washington University in St. Louis vs. Lehigh: Which Is Better for Undergraduate Engineering?

The biggest practical tradeoff is that Lehigh offers a more engineering-centered undergraduate culture with a long-standing strength in traditional engineering fields, while Washington University in St. Louis offers a smaller, highly interdisciplinary engineering experience closely connected to major research in medicine, science, and technology. At Lehigh, engineering is a central part of campus identity; at WashU’s McKelvey School of Engineering, students often combine engineering with research and coursework across the university.

For hands-on learning, both are strong but in different ways. Lehigh’s P.C. Rossin College is particularly well known for project-based design, undergraduate research, and applied work in areas such as mechanical, civil, materials, chemical, and industrial and systems engineering. Its Mountaintop Campus and design-focused opportunities give students room to build, test, and collaborate. WashU provides substantial undergraduate research access, especially in biomedical engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, robotics, and data-related fields, with notable proximity to WashU’s medical and scientific research ecosystem.

Professor access should be good at either school because neither has the scale of a huge public engineering college. Lehigh may feel more like a cohesive engineering community, while WashU can feel more cross-disciplinary, with easier pathways into labs and courses outside engineering. WashU has a particular advantage for students aiming at engineering fields connected to health, biology, or medicine.

For a student seeking a classic, immersive engineering campus experience and especially considering traditional engineering disciplines, Lehigh is the more compelling choice. WashU is the better pick when the intended path is biomedical engineering, computing, or research at the intersection of engineering and the life sciences. In a close decision, the net cost should matter substantially: these two programs are strong enough that a large price difference can outweigh modest distinctions in fit.