Yale vs Notre Dame - 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: Yale admits 4.7%, Notre Dame admits 11.3%.
Real money goes to international students at Yale ($84,185 on average), while Notre Dame stops at $62,803.
Candidates with higher SAT scores go to Yale: a midpoint of 1540 against 1510, a difference of 30 points.
The lower full cost of study, not tuition alone, belongs to Notre Dame: $87,295 against $98,900.
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
Yale is the more selective of the two (4.7% vs 11.3% acceptance). Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#11 vs #301-400). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($101K vs $100K). Notre Dame has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,607 vs $72,500 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 Yale for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Notre Dame for: lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Yale is more selective (4.7% vs 11.3% acceptance); Yale has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1510).
Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $100K); Yale has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.7% vs 95%).
Notre Dame has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,607 vs $72,500); Yale offers a larger average aid package ($74,353 vs $67,855).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Yale | Notre Dame |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #11 | #301-400 |
| Rank · THE | #10 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 4.7% | 11.3% |
| Yield rate | 68.4% | 61.7% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1510 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 50,264 | 29,942 |
| International students | 10.6% | 7.5% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $101K | $100K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $66K | $68K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $194K | $141K |
| Graduation rate | 95.7% | 95% |
| Retention rate | 99.4% | 99% |
| Median debt | $12,975 | $19,000 |
| Tuition · year | $72,500 | $67,607 |
| Avg. aid package | $74,353 | $67,855 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,185 | $30,400 |
| Application fee | $80 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 15,657 | 13,042 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Yale or Notre Dame?
It's harder to get into Yale. Yale accepts 4.7% of applicants, while Notre Dame accepts 11.3%.
Do Yale or Notre Dame graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $101K at Yale and $100K at Notre Dame.
How much is tuition at Yale vs Notre Dame?
Sticker-price tuition is $72,500 per year at Yale and $67,607 per year at Notre Dame.
What SAT score do you need for Yale or Notre Dame?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Yale and 1510 at Notre Dame; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Yale or Notre Dame?
Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #11 for Yale vs #301-400 for Notre Dame.
Which university offers more financial aid - Yale or Notre Dame?
The average aid package is $74,353 at Yale and $67,855 at Notre Dame.
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