Notre Dame vs Stony Brook - 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: Notre Dame admits 11.3%, Stony Brook admits 49%.
Average aid for an international student is $62,803 (Notre Dame) and $2,834 (Stony Brook).
The one that looks dearer ends up cheaper: Notre Dame lists $87,295 against $55,085 (Stony Brook), but after average aid what remains is $19,440 against $39,824.
Ten years on, graduates of Notre Dame earn noticeably more: $100K against $75K.
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 49.04% acceptance). Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $75K). Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 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 Stony Brook for: 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 49.04% acceptance); Notre Dame has a higher median SAT (1510 vs 1410).
Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $75K); Notre Dame has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95% vs 75.6%).
Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 vs $67,607); Notre Dame offers a larger average aid package ($67,855 vs $15,261).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Notre Dame | Stony Brook |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #301-400 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 11.3% | 49.04% |
| Yield rate | 61.7% | 14.7% |
| Median SAT | 1510 | 1410 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 29,942 | 55,880 |
| International students | 7.5% | 10.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $100K | $75K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $68K | $49K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $141K | $107K |
| Graduation rate | 95% | 75.6% |
| Retention rate | 99% | 89.7% |
| Median debt | $19,000 | $18,228 |
| Tuition · year | $67,607 | $32,741 |
| Avg. aid package | $67,855 | $15,261 |
| % of need met | 100% | 0.6% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $30,400 | $23,558 |
| Application fee | $85 | - |
| Enrollment | 13,042 | 26,689 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Notre Dame or Stony Brook?
It's harder to get into Notre Dame. Notre Dame accepts 11.3% of applicants, while Stony Brook accepts 49.04%.
Do Notre Dame or Stony Brook graduates earn more?
Notre Dame graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $100K vs $75K.
How much is tuition at Notre Dame vs Stony Brook?
Sticker-price tuition is $67,607 per year at Notre Dame and $32,741 per year at Stony Brook.
What SAT score do you need for Notre Dame or Stony Brook?
The median admitted SAT score is 1510 at Notre Dame and 1410 at Stony Brook; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university offers more financial aid - Notre Dame or Stony Brook?
The average aid package is $67,855 at Notre Dame and $15,261 at Stony Brook.
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