University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
11.3%
Acceptance Rate
$65,025
Avg Cost (In-State)
$65,025
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
96%
Graduation Rate
8,818
Total Enrollment
What they weigh most
Source: Common Data Set
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 1
Early Deadline
November 1 (Restrictive Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
2
Letters of Rec
2
Application Fee
$75
Interview
Not required
Essays: One Common App essay (650 words) and one Notre Dame supplemental essay (200 words)
Note: Students applying to the Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program must submit an additional essay
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$86,210
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$99,980
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
96%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics. | $76,299 | $122,637 | 137 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $99,222 | $160,313 | 119 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $96,517 | $142,970 | 105 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | $84,999 | $99,859 | 90 |
| Political Science and Government. | $55,316 | $94,297 | 88 |
| Chemical Engineering. | $83,377 | $113,614 | 80 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences. | $24,615 | $65,458 | 65 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. | $83,810 | $124,557 | 64 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at University of Notre Dame
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Indiana 21st Century Scholars
~$40k valueIndiana pays full tuition at IN public universities for low/moderate-income kids who enroll in middle school and stay on track through HS.
Who it helps: Indiana 7th-9th graders from low/moderate-income families. Must enroll before high school starts.
How to use: Enroll at scholars.in.gov by 8th grade. Complete the 12 required activities through HS. File FAFSA junior year of HS.
Source ↗Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Indiana State Honors Scholarship
$3,000-$10,000/year
universityTop ISU incoming freshmen via tiered automatic grid.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Ball State Presidential Scholarship
Full in-state tuition
universityTop BSU freshmen with 3.5+ GPA + 1300+ SAT. Automatic.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗IU Bloomington Direct Admit Scholarship (Kelley)
$2,000-$22,000/year
universityDirect admits to Kelley School of Business with 3.7+ GPA + 1350 SAT/30 ACT.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Indiana Music Education Association (IMEA) Scholarship
$500-$2,000
stateIndiana HS senior pursuing music education at IN college.
Deadline: Spring
Learn more ↗Frank O'Bannon Grant
Up to ~$11,000/year (publics); $14,000+ (privates)
stateIN residents with financial need attending IN colleges full-time. Largest IN need-based grant.
Deadline: FAFSA by April 15
Learn more ↗Indiana Workforce Ready Grant
Tuition + fees up to 2 years
stateIN adults pursuing high-demand certificates at Ivy Tech or Vincennes University.
Deadline: Rolling
Learn more ↗Purdue Stamps Scholars Program
Full cost of attendance + summer enrichment
universityTop ~5 Purdue freshmen via competitive Stamps process.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Indiana Adult Student Grant
Up to $2,000/year
stateIN adults (25+) attending IN colleges at least half-time with financial need.
Deadline: FAFSA by April 15
Learn more ↗IU Bloomington Cox Engagement Center Scholarship
$1,000-$5,000/year + civic engagement
universityIU students with sustained community service involvement.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $7,244 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $7,254 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $11,432 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $18,670 |
| $110,001+ | $45,321 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for University of Notre Dame →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 11.3% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Restrictive Early Action
14%
acceptance
Restrictive EA.
Source ↗Regular Decision
7%
acceptance
Overall ~9%.
Source ↗Regular Decision
11.27%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
12.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
12.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
8.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
17.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
60.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
98.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
96.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Considered
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA
11% acceptance
Both admit around 11% of applicants, with 14k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
11.7% acceptance
Both admit around 12% of applicants, with 7k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
10.7% acceptance
Both admit around 11% of applicants, with 7k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee, FL
20.6% acceptance
Similar selectivity (21% vs 11%) but out-of-state cost runs $18k — meaningfully less than $65k.
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
Atlanta, GA
14.1% acceptance
Similar selectivity (14% vs 11%) but out-of-state cost runs $34k — meaningfully less than $65k.
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA
16% acceptance
Similar selectivity (16% vs 11%) but out-of-state cost runs $38k — meaningfully less than $65k.
Safer alternatives
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
42.4% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (42% vs 11%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
45.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (45% vs 11%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Purdue University-Main Campus
West Lafayette, IN
49.9% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (50% vs 11%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Transfer pathways
Routes in from a community college.
From ND community colleges
articulation onlyNotre Dame admits ~150-250 transfers per year from around 600-1,000 applicants. Applicants must complete at least one full year of college coursework. Transfer deadline is March 15. No formal articulation agreements, but ND admits a meaningful number of CC transfers each year via…
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