Notre Dame vs North Carolina - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Notre Dame: 11.3% against 15.3% (North Carolina).
North Carolina reports no financial aid for international students, while Notre Dame awards them $62,803 on average. For an applicant from outside the US that is usually the most important difference on this page.
The one that looks dearer ends up cheaper: Notre Dame lists $87,295 against $60,888 (North Carolina), but after average aid what remains is $19,440 against $40,183.
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Notre Dame: $100K against $72K.
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 15.34% acceptance). North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #35). Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $72K). North Carolina has lower sticker-price tuition ($45,228 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 North Carolina 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
Notre Dame is more selective (11.3% vs 15.34% acceptance); Notre Dame has a higher median SAT (1510 vs 1470).
Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $72K); Notre Dame has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95% vs 91.2%).
North Carolina has lower sticker-price tuition ($45,228 vs $67,607); Notre Dame offers a larger average aid package ($67,855 vs $20,705).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Notre Dame | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #35 |
| Rank · THE | - | #70 |
| Acceptance rate | 11.3% | 15.34% |
| Yield rate | 61.7% | 45.5% |
| Median SAT | 1510 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 4.49 |
| Number of applications | 29,942 | 66,535 |
| International students | 7.5% | 6.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $100K | $72K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $68K | $48K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $141K | $112K |
| Graduation rate | 95% | 91.2% |
| Retention rate | 99% | 96.6% |
| Median debt | $19,000 | $14,000 |
| Tuition · year | $67,607 | $45,228 |
| Avg. aid package | $67,855 | $20,705 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $30,400 | $20,382 |
| Application fee | $85 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 13,042 | 32,680 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Notre Dame or North Carolina?
It's harder to get into Notre Dame. Notre Dame accepts 11.3% of applicants, while North Carolina accepts 15.34%.
Do Notre Dame or North Carolina graduates earn more?
Notre Dame graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $100K vs $72K.
How much is tuition at Notre Dame vs North Carolina?
Sticker-price tuition is $67,607 per year at Notre Dame and $45,228 per year at North Carolina.
What SAT score do you need for Notre Dame or North Carolina?
The median admitted SAT score is 1510 at Notre Dame and 1470 at North Carolina; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Notre Dame or North Carolina?
North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Notre Dame vs #35 for North Carolina.
Which university offers more financial aid - Notre Dame or North Carolina?
The average aid package is $67,855 at Notre Dame and $20,705 at North Carolina.
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