Boston University vs Notre Dame - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The share of international students differs sharply: 20.1% (Boston University) against 7.5% (Notre Dame).
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Notre Dame: $100K against $83K.
40 points separate the SAT profiles: 1510 (Notre Dame) against 1470.
The fight for an admitted student is won more often by Notre Dame: 61.7% of them enrol, against 35%.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Notre Dame is the more selective of the two (11.3% vs 12.83% acceptance). Boston University ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#101-150 vs #301-400). Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $83K). Notre Dame has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,607 vs $71,372 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Boston University for: a higher world ranking, a larger aid package.
Choose Notre Dame for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Notre Dame is more selective (11.3% vs 12.83% acceptance); Notre Dame has a higher median SAT (1510 vs 1470).
Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $83K); Notre Dame has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95% vs 88.7%).
Notre Dame has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,607 vs $71,372); Boston University offers a larger average aid package ($69,396 vs $67,855).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Boston University | Notre Dame |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #101-150 | #301-400 |
| Rank · THE | #75 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 12.83% | 11.3% |
| Yield rate | 35% | 61.7% |
| Median SAT | 1470 | 1510 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.86 | - |
| Number of applications | 76,776 | 29,942 |
| International students | 20.1% | 7.5% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $83K | $100K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $57K | $68K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $122K | $141K |
| Graduation rate | 88.7% | 95% |
| Retention rate | 94.2% | 99% |
| Median debt | $23,250 | $19,000 |
| Tuition · year | $71,372 | $67,607 |
| Avg. aid package | $69,396 | $67,855 |
| % of need met | 92% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $36,774 | $30,400 |
| Application fee | $80 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 36,977 | 13,042 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Boston University or Notre Dame?
It's harder to get into Notre Dame. Boston University accepts 12.83% of applicants, while Notre Dame accepts 11.3%.
Do Boston University or Notre Dame graduates earn more?
Notre Dame graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $100K vs $83K.
How much is tuition at Boston University vs Notre Dame?
Sticker-price tuition is $71,372 per year at Boston University and $67,607 per year at Notre Dame.
What SAT score do you need for Boston University or Notre Dame?
The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at Boston University and 1510 at Notre Dame; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Boston University or Notre Dame?
Boston University ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #101-150 for Boston University vs #301-400 for Notre Dame.
Which university offers more financial aid - Boston University or Notre Dame?
The average aid package is $69,396 at Boston University and $67,855 at Notre Dame.
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