Notre Dame vs Virginia - 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 16.8% (Virginia).
Virginia 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 $80,859 (Virginia), but after average aid what remains is $19,440 against $43,736.
Ten years on, graduates of Notre Dame earn noticeably more: $100K against $87K.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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 16.81% acceptance). Virginia ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #201-300). Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $87K). Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($62,923 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, higher retention.
Choose Virginia for: a higher world ranking, a higher graduation rate, lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Notre Dame is more selective (11.3% vs 16.81% acceptance); Notre Dame has a higher median SAT (1510 vs 1470).
Notre Dame graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($100K vs $87K); Virginia has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.6% vs 95%).
Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($62,923 vs $67,607); Notre Dame offers a larger average aid package ($67,855 vs $37,123).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Notre Dame | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #201-300 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 11.3% | 16.81% |
| Yield rate | 61.7% | 40% |
| Median SAT | 1510 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 29,942 | 58,951 |
| International students | 7.5% | 4.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $100K | $87K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $68K | $59K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $141K | $130K |
| Graduation rate | 95% | 95.6% |
| Retention rate | 99% | 97.9% |
| Median debt | $19,000 | $17,500 |
| Tuition · year | $67,607 | $62,923 |
| Avg. aid package | $67,855 | $37,123 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $30,400 | $25,137 |
| Application fee | $85 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 13,042 | 26,470 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Notre Dame or Virginia?
It's harder to get into Notre Dame. Notre Dame accepts 11.3% of applicants, while Virginia accepts 16.81%.
Do Notre Dame or Virginia graduates earn more?
Notre Dame graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $100K vs $87K.
How much is tuition at Notre Dame vs Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $67,607 per year at Notre Dame and $62,923 per year at Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Notre Dame or Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1510 at Notre Dame and 1470 at Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Notre Dame or Virginia?
Virginia ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Notre Dame vs #201-300 for Virginia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Notre Dame or Virginia?
The average aid package is $67,855 at Notre Dame and $37,123 at Virginia.
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