Notre Dame vs Duke - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Duke admits 5.7%, Notre Dame admits 11.3%.
Average aid for an international student is $90,599 (Duke) and $62,803 (Notre Dame).
The cheaper tuition belongs to Notre Dame: $67,607 against $73,172, or $5,565 less a year.
38 points separate the SAT profiles: 1548 (Duke) against 1510.
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
Duke is the more selective of the two (5.71% vs 11.3% acceptance). Duke ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #39). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($100K vs $98K). Notre Dame has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,607 vs $73,172 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 Notre Dame for: higher graduate earnings, higher retention, lower tuition.
Choose Duke for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Duke is more selective (5.71% vs 11.3% acceptance); Duke has a higher median SAT (1548 vs 1510).
Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $98K); Duke has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.8% vs 95%).
Notre Dame has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,607 vs $73,172); Duke offers a larger average aid package ($72,437 vs $67,855).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Notre Dame | Duke |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #39 |
| Rank · THE | - | #27 |
| Acceptance rate | 11.3% | 5.71% |
| Yield rate | 61.7% | 58.8% |
| Median SAT | 1510 | 1548 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 29,942 | 51,795 |
| International students | 7.5% | 10.6% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $100K | $98K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $68K | $66K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $141K | $172K |
| Graduation rate | 95% | 96.8% |
| Retention rate | 99% | 98% |
| Median debt | $19,000 | $13,000 |
| Tuition · year | $67,607 | $73,172 |
| Avg. aid package | $67,855 | $72,437 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $30,400 | $27,515 |
| Application fee | $85 | - |
| Enrollment | 13,042 | 17,499 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Notre Dame or Duke?
It's harder to get into Duke. Notre Dame accepts 11.3% of applicants, while Duke accepts 5.71%.
Do Notre Dame or Duke graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $100K at Notre Dame and $98K at Duke.
How much is tuition at Notre Dame vs Duke?
Sticker-price tuition is $67,607 per year at Notre Dame and $73,172 per year at Duke.
What SAT score do you need for Notre Dame or Duke?
The median admitted SAT score is 1510 at Notre Dame and 1548 at Duke; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Notre Dame or Duke?
Duke ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Notre Dame vs #39 for Duke.
Which university offers more financial aid - Notre Dame or Duke?
The average aid package is $67,855 at Notre Dame and $72,437 at Duke.
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