University of Notre Dame
NOTRE DAME, IN
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Notre Dame vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign - US university comparison

University of Notre Dame
NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame, IN
World rank · ARWU#301-400
Acceptance11.3%
Median SAT1510
Graduation rate95%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$100K
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
Champaign, Illinois
World rank · ARWU#55
Acceptance42.37%
Median SAT1470
Graduation rate85.1%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$81K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

University of Notre Dame University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
#301-400 World rank · ARWU #55
- Rank · THE #46
11.3% Acceptance rate 42.37%
1510 Median SAT 1470
95% Graduation rate 85.1%
13,042 Enrollment 59,238

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

11.3% Acceptance rate 42.37%
61.7% Yield rate 28.8%
1510 Median SAT 1470
- Avg. GPA -
29,942 Number of applications 73,742
7.5% Int'l students 14.9%
$100K Median earnings · 10 yrs $81K
$68K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $55K
$141K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $117K
95% Graduation rate 85.1%
99% Retention rate 94.8%
$19,000 Median debt $19,500
$67,607 Tuition · year $38,400
$67,855 Avg. aid package $23,217
100% % of need met 0.8%
$30,400 Avg. graduate debt $22,395
$85 Application fee $50
$62,803 Avg. int'l aid $5,836
At a glance
Notre Dame leads in 9 of 11 measured metrics
% of need100% vs 0.8%
Acceptance11.3% vs 42.37%
Aid$67,855 vs $23,217

The verdict, from the data

The lower acceptance rate belongs to Notre Dame: 11.3% against 42.4% (Illinois Urbana-Champaign).

The larger international cohort belongs to Illinois Urbana-Champaign: 14.9% of students against 7.5% (Notre Dame).

Average aid for an international student is $62,803 (Notre Dame) and $5,836 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign).

The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Notre Dame starts at $87,295 against $57,284 and ends at $19,440 against $34,067 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign).

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 42.37% acceptance). Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #55). Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $81K). Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $67,607 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 selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.

Choose Illinois Urbana-Champaign for: a higher world ranking, lower tuition, lower graduate debt.

College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.

BY THE NUMBERS

Admissions

Notre Dame is more selective (11.3% vs 42.37% acceptance); Notre Dame has a higher median SAT (1510 vs 1470).

Graduate outcomes

Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $81K); Notre Dame has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95% vs 85.1%).

Cost and aid

Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $67,607); Notre Dame offers a larger average aid package ($67,855 vs $23,217).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

$35k$76k$117k$158k$11k$35k$59k$83kNotre DameIllinois Urbana-Champaign TUITION · YEAR → MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10 YRS →
Each dot is a comparable US university; Notre Dame and Illinois Urbana-Champaign highlighted. Up and to the left = better value ratio.

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Notre Dame Illinois Urbana-Champaign
World rank · ARWU#301-400#55
Rank · THE-#46
Acceptance rate11.3%42.37%
Yield rate61.7%28.8%
Median SAT15101470
Avg. GPA--
Number of applications29,94273,742
International students7.5%14.9%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$100K$81K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$68K$55K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$141K$117K
Graduation rate95%85.1%
Retention rate99%94.8%
Median debt$19,000$19,500
Tuition · year$67,607$38,400
Avg. aid package$67,855$23,217
% of need met100%0.8%
Avg. graduate debt$30,400$22,395
Application fee$85$50
Enrollment13,04259,238

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it harder to get into Notre Dame or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

It's harder to get into Notre Dame. Notre Dame accepts 11.3% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.

Do Notre Dame or Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more?

Notre Dame graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $100K vs $81K.

How much is tuition at Notre Dame vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

Sticker-price tuition is $67,607 per year at Notre Dame and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

What SAT score do you need for Notre Dame or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

The median admitted SAT score is 1510 at Notre Dame and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - Notre Dame or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Notre Dame vs #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Which university offers more financial aid - Notre Dame or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

The average aid package is $67,855 at Notre Dame and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Compare Notre Dame with
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Highest-ranked in ARWU. Click "↻ Change university" in the cards above to choose from all 47 universities (+35).
All metrics come 100% from College Council Atlas (canonical) - admissions, SAT, GPA, graduate outcomes, financial aid and costs from IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25; rankings from ARWU 2024 and THE 2025. Zero manual fields. "-" = not yet in canonical.