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University of Notre Dame

#1 Best Colleges in Indiana
Private nonprofit Notre Dame, IN · Suburban · Great Lakes · 100% data
A+ Earnings A+ Graduation A+ Selectivity
Graduation Rate
96% A+
Most students who enroll finish their degree here
Earnings (10yr)
$99,980 A+
Top 1% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$26,780 D
56% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
11% A+
Rejects about 89 of every 100 applicants
Earnings +145% vs avg
Graduation +68% vs avg
Net Price 56% vs avg
Mobility Top 83%

Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 22.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $22.3 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Colleges in Indiana.

22.3× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $22.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,278,840.

What The Data Says

  1. A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduates earn 145% more than the national college median.

  3. A 96% graduation rate — 68% above the national average.

  4. Inventor rate in the top 20% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.

  5. A top feeder school for 8 major employers.

Economic Footprint

Inventor Rate
1.2%
Top 20%
Patents
234
Linked to graduates
World Rank
#63
Times Higher Education
Employer Pipelines
8
Top feeder programs
Patent Citations
407
Downstream influence
Research Score
45/100
Times Higher Education

Why University of Notre Dame Matters

University of Notre Dame is a private research university in Notre Dame, IN ranked #63 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity, a top-tier research enterprise, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 1% of all U.S. colleges.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private Research University
Carnegie Class
R1 · Very High Research
Enrollment
8,818
Setting
Suburban
Designations
30
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Engineering, Social Sciences, Biology & Biomedical

Why students choose University of Notre Dame

Elite STEM ecosystem
Engineering, computing, and the sciences dominate its programs
Top-tier research university
R1 status: undergraduates work alongside leading researchers
Entrepreneurial, inventive students
Above-average inventor and patent activity
Patent powerhouse
234 patents tied to its people
Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Highly selective peer group
Surrounded by exceptionally high-achieving students

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B-
Top 35% overall
A+
Earnings
$99,980 median
B
Value
3.7× net price
D
Affordability
$26,780/yr net
A+
Graduation
96% graduate
D
Social Mobility
0.9% climb Q1→Q5
A+
Selectivity
11% admit rate
C+
Diversity
0.61 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →
1
Can I Get In?

Admissions

Highly selective
11% admit rate

Highly selective — admits about 11% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1455–1560. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.

Check your odds →
2
Can I Afford It?

Net price + aid

D
$26,780/yr net

Students pay about $26,780 a year after grants and scholarships — 56% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.

See cost & aid →
3
What Happens After?

Earnings + debt

A+
$99,980 median

Graduates earn a median of $99,980 ten years after enrolling — 145% above the typical college, against $19,000 in median debt.

See outcomes →
4
Does It Change Lives?

Mobility + social capital

D
0.9% climb

Moves 0.9% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 83% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.46 economic connectedness).

See mobility →

Overview

The University of Notre Dame has an impressive graduation rate of 96%. This means that the vast majority of students who start their studies here complete their degrees on time. Such a high rate indicates strong student support and academic rigor.

According to the Chetty/Opportunity Insights data, specific mobility outcomes for Notre Dame students are not available. However, the strong graduation rate and high earnings after ten years suggest that graduates from this institution tend to secure stable, well-paying jobs. The average earnings for alumni reach $99,980, reflecting the quality of education and career preparation they receive.

Prospective students should consider the financial aspects as well. The net price for attending Notre Dame is $26,780, with a median debt of $19,000 after graduation. While the Pell Grant rate is 14%, students who thrive here often pursue majors in Business, Engineering, Social Sciences, Biology, and Computer Science, aligning their education with strong job markets.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective University of Notre Dame is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into University of Notre Dame? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in Notre Dame, Indiana, University of Notre Dame sets a competitive bar: about 11% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,520. The graduation rate is roughly 96%.

Acceptance Rate
11%
Retention Rate
99%
SAT Average
1520
ACT Midpoint
34
SAT Range
1455–1560
ACT Range
33–35
Full-Time Faculty
88%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$16,830
Student–Faculty Ratio
9:1
Diversity Index
0.61
First-Gen Students
10%
Applicants
26,509
Admitted
3,421

Inside the Admissions Office

School-reported Common Data Set · 2025-26

The acceptance rate tells you how hard University of Notre Dame is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 64% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school more than half of admitted students choose.

Yield Rate
64%
of admits enroll

There is an early lane. University offers Early Action, so you can apply ahead of the regular deadline and hear back sooner without committing to enroll.

Source: University of Notre Dame's Common Data Set, 2025-26 View the source document on collegedata.fyi →

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of Notre Dame? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of Notre Dame is $65,025, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $26,780. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,244 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $19,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$65,025
Out-of-State
$65,025
Avg Net Price
$26,780
Median Debt
$19,000
Pell Grant Rate
14%
Federal Loan Rate
25%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$7,244
Family Income $30K–$48K
$7,254
Family Income $48K–$75K
$11,432
Family Income $110K+
$45,321

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at University of Notre Dame — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is University of Notre Dame Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of Notre Dame earn a median of $99,980, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

6 Years After Entry
$86,210
8 Years
$94,844
10 Years
$99,980
Debt-to-Earnings
0.19x
Earning > $25K
85%

Earnings Trajectory

$86,210 6yr $94,844 8yr $99,980 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (1,865)
93%
100% (1,865)
93%
100% (1,865)
93%
100% (1,865)
93%

Where Grads Go

University of Notre Dame is a top feeder for:

Rank among programs feeding each employer.

Top employers of University of Notre Dame’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.

Explore the Career Destination Guide → Source: University of Notre Dame — Full-Time MBA Employment Report (Class of 2024)

How University Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation96%Earnings 10yr$100KNet Price$27KRetention99%Median Debt$19KPell Grant Rate14%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$7K$0-30K$7K$30-48K$11K$48-75K$45K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%1.4%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%62.4%MOBILITY0.90%

College ROI Calculator

Is University of Notre Dame Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, University of Notre Dame delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $26,780/year ($107,120 total). Graduates earn $99,980 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,385,960 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,278,840 (22.3× your investment). The median debt is $19,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 96% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$107,120
Projected 20yr Earnings
$2,385,960
Net Return
$2,278,840
ROI Multiple
22.3×
Cost Per Year
$26,780
Median Debt
$19,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
96%
Explore all University of ROI scenarios

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does University of Notre Dame Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

University of Notre Dame is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.90%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 1.4% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 62.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $165,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
0.90%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
62.4%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
1.4%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$224,721
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is University of Notre Dame? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of Notre Dame. Its economic connectedness score is 1.46, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.46
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
4.3%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Research & Teaching

Data: Times Higher Education World University Rankings

How Research-Intensive Is University of Notre Dame? World Rank, Teaching & Citations

Times Higher Education places University of Notre Dame at #63 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 45/100, teaching at 56/100, and citation impact of 89/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.

World Rank
#63
Teaching
56.4
Research
45.1
Citations
89.1
International
35.6

Innovation & Knowledge Creation

Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education

University of Notre Dame produces inventors at an above-average rate (top 20% nationally), with 234 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 45/100 research score.

Inventor Rate
1.15%
Top 20% nationally
Patents Produced
234
Linked to graduates
Patent Citations
407
Downstream influence
Research Score
45/100
Times Higher Ed
Academic Influence
89/100
Citation impact (THE)
Inventors From Low-Income
1.65%
Bottom-20% families

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$-1,413,138,000

Top Programs

The fields University of Notre Dame awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Top Careers

Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for University of Notre Dame's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into University of Notre Dame? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in Notre Dame, Indiana, University of Notre Dame sets a competitive bar: about 11% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,520. The graduation rate is roughly 96%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of Notre Dame? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of Notre Dame is $65,025, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $26,780. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,244 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $19,000 in federal student loans.

Is University of Notre Dame Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of Notre Dame earn a median of $99,980, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

Does University of Notre Dame Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

University of Notre Dame is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.90%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 1.4% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 62.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $165,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is University of Notre Dame? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of Notre Dame. Its economic connectedness score is 1.46, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

How Research-Intensive Is University of Notre Dame? World Rank, Teaching & Citations

Times Higher Education places University of Notre Dame at #63 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 45/100, teaching at 56/100, and citation impact of 89/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.

Does University of Notre Dame offer Early Decision?

No. University of Notre Dame does not report a binding Early Decision plan, though it does offer a non-binding Early Action option (2025-26 Common Data Set).

What percentage of admitted students enroll at University of Notre Dame?

About 64% of admitted students choose to enroll at University of Notre Dame — its yield rate (2025-26 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.

Compare University of Notre Dame

Show all 99 comparisons →

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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