Lesley University

www.lesley.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$33,326

4.5% growth from 2023

2024 Average Net Price

$32,587

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

96.9%

2,526 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

2,557

43.2% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

58%

217 Graduates

About

Lesley University is a higher education institution located in Middlesex County, MA. In 2024, the most popular Masters Degree concentrations at Lesley University were Mental Health Counseling (224 degrees awarded), General Special Education & Teaching (30 degrees), and Elementary Education & Teaching (25 degrees).

In 2024, 927 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Lesley University. 83.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 16.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (563 degrees), 5.41 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (104 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Lesley University is $33,326, which is $1,406 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

Photo by osseous

Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Lesley University is $33,326, which is $1,406 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $32,587.

In 2024, 81% of undergraduate students attending Lesley University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 54% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$33,326

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Lesley University was $33,326. The cost of tuition at Lesley University is $1,406 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Lesley University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$32,587

2024 Value

1.58%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 Lesley University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $32,587. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Lesley University grew by 1.58%.

This chart compares the average net price of Lesley University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$15,830

Room and Board

$1,500

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Lesley University was of $15,830 in 2024. The cost of room and board decreased by 0.246% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,500. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Lesley University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

81%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

54%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

81% of undergraduate students at Lesley University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a growth of 3.85% with respect to 2023, when 78% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Lesley University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Admissions

Lesley University received 2,526 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 0.678% annual growth. Out of those 2,526 applicants, 2,447 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 96.9% acceptance rate.

There were 2,557 students enrolled at Lesley University in 2024. 72% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Lesley University has an overall enrollment yield of 7.89%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

96.9%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

2,447

Accepted Out of 2,526

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Lesley University was 96.9% (2,447 admissions from 2,526 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 94.4%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 0.678%, while admissions grew by 3.29%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Lesley University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

72%

Submission Percentage (2019)

229

Scores Submitted (2019)

72% of enrolled first-time students at Lesley University in 2019 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Lesley University had a total enrollment of 2,557 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Lesley University is 1,104 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,453. This means that 43.2% of students enrolled at Lesley University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Lesley University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 54.8% White, 13% Hispanic or Latino, 7.63% Black or African American, 5.48% Asian, 2.97% Two or More Races, 0.352% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0391% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Lesley University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (37.6%), followed by White Male (14.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (12.9%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (50.5%), followed by White Male (10%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (7.83%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

43.2%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Lesley University in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 2,557 students. The full-time enrollment at Lesley University is 1,104 and the part-time enrollment is 1,453. This means that 43.2% of students enrolled at Lesley University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.3% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Lesley University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

72%

2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Lesley University was 72%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (82%), Lesley University had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Lesley University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
1,400 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
333 enrolled students
Black or African American
195 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Lesley University is 54.8% White, 13% Hispanic or Latino, 7.63% Black or African American, 5.48% Asian, 2.97% Two or More Races, 0.352% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0391% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.2% White, 16.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 10.4% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 340 students (13.3%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 625 more women than men received degrees from Lesley University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Lesley University is white (563 degrees awarded). There were 5.41 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (104 degrees).

The most common Masters Degree concentration at Lesley University is Mental Health Counseling (224 degrees awarded), followed by General Special Education & Teaching (30 degrees) and Elementary Education & Teaching (25 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Lesley University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Visual & Performing Arts (147 degrees awarded), English (40 degrees), and Education (250 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Lesley University are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,708,978 people), Secondary school teachers (592,708 people), Education administrators (349,006 people), Other managers (315,344 people), and Postsecondary teachers (264,440 people).

The most specialized majors at Lesley University in 2024 are Visual & Performing Arts (147 degrees awarded), English (40 degrees), Education (250 degrees), Communication Technologies (6 degrees), and Psychology (73 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Lesley University are Surgeons, Agents & business managers of artists, performers, & athletes, Physicians, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, and Nurse anesthetists

The most specialized majors at Lesley University are Visual & Performing Arts (147 degrees awarded), English (40 degrees), Education (250 degrees), Communication Technologies (6 degrees), and Psychology (73 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Lesley University are Elementary & secondary schools (3,338,707 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (617,287 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (364,966 people), Computer Systems Design (256,306 people), and Outpatient care centers (250,689 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Lesley University.

Most Common (2024)

Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities
46 degrees awarded
General Psychology
43 degrees awarded
Digital Arts
29 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Lesley University was Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities with 46 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Lesley University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

151

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

776

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 151 degrees were awarded to men at Lesley University, which is 0.195 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (776).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Lesley University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 26 degrees were awarded to men at Lesley University in Mental Health Counseling, which is 0.131 times less than the 198 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 198 degrees were awarded to men at Lesley University in Mental Health Counseling, which is 7.62 times more than the 26 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

49%

100% Completion Time

61%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 49% of students graduating from Lesley University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 61% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 61% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
563 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
104 degrees awarded
Black or African American
60 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Lesley University is white (563 degrees awarded). There were 5.41 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (104 degrees).

10.2% of degree recipients (95 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Female
1,236 degrees awarded
White Female
1,228 degrees awarded
White Female
1,139 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Lesley University is white female (1,236 degrees awarded). There were 1.01 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (1,228 degrees).

Operations

Lesley University has an endowment valued at nearly $185M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 12.5M (6.78%) compared to the 9.4% average return (23.7M on 252M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2024, Lesley University had a total salary expenditure of 105M. Lesley University employs 28 Associate professors, 26 Professors and 24 Assistant professors. Most academics at Lesley University are Female Associate professor (19), Female Assistant professor (16), and Female Professor (15).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Lesley University are: Management, with 77 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 66 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 39 employees.

Endowment

$185M

2024 Endowment

1.65%

decline from 2023

Lesley University has an endowment valued at about $185M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Lesley University declined 1.65% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $67.2M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Lesley University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$46.6M

2024 Salaries

3.14%

decline from 2023

In 2024, Lesley University paid a median of $46.6M in salaries, which represents 44.2% of their overall expenditure ($105M) and a 3.14% decline from the previous year. This is compared to a 0.266% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 3.96% growth between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$8.49M

Instructional Salaries

Number of Employees

In 2024, Lesley University paid a total of $8.49M to 95 employees working as instructors, which represents 18.2% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $4.1M (2.29%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Lesley University were Management with 77 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 66 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 39 employees.

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