Notre Dame vs Rice - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Rice admits 8% of applicants, while Notre Dame admits 11.3%.
The larger international cohort belongs to Rice: 13% of students against 7.5% (Notre Dame).
Real money goes to international students at Rice ($76,332 on average), while Notre Dame stops at $62,803.
Ten years on, graduates of Notre Dame earn noticeably more: $100K against $90K.
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
Rice is the more selective of the two (8% vs 11.3% acceptance). Rice ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #101-150). Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $90K). Rice has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,497 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 graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate, higher retention.
Choose Rice for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Rice is more selective (8% vs 11.3% acceptance); Rice has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1510).
Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $90K); Notre Dame has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95% vs 94.6%).
Rice has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,497 vs $67,607); Rice offers a larger average aid package ($69,040 vs $67,855).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Notre Dame | Rice |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #101-150 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 11.3% | 8% |
| Yield rate | 61.7% | 44.2% |
| Median SAT | 1510 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 29,942 | 32,473 |
| International students | 7.5% | 13% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $100K | $90K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $68K | $63K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $141K | $144K |
| Graduation rate | 95% | 94.6% |
| Retention rate | 99% | 97.4% |
| Median debt | $19,000 | $11,000 |
| Tuition · year | $67,607 | $67,497 |
| Avg. aid package | $67,855 | $69,040 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $30,400 | $28,418 |
| Application fee | $85 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 13,042 | 8,961 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Notre Dame or Rice?
It's harder to get into Rice. Notre Dame accepts 11.3% of applicants, while Rice accepts 8%.
Do Notre Dame or Rice graduates earn more?
Notre Dame graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $100K vs $90K.
How much is tuition at Notre Dame vs Rice?
Sticker-price tuition is $67,607 per year at Notre Dame and $67,497 per year at Rice.
What SAT score do you need for Notre Dame or Rice?
The median admitted SAT score is 1510 at Notre Dame and 1540 at Rice; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Notre Dame or Rice?
Rice ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Notre Dame vs #101-150 for Rice.
Which university offers more financial aid - Notre Dame or Rice?
The average aid package is $67,855 at Notre Dame and $69,040 at Rice.
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