Explore alternatives based on outcomes, location, cost, and admission difficulty
Given Notre Dame's 12.4% acceptance rate, most applicants—even highly qualified ones—will need backup options. The schools below deliver comparable career outcomes with more accessible admission or different advantages.
These schools offer higher acceptance rates while delivering comparable career outcomes.
For similar outcomes with better admission odds, consider Villanova University (25.1% acceptance, $100,423 median earnings) in Pennsylvania, offering comparable program quality with more than double the acceptance rate. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana admits 72.8% of applicants while producing graduates earning $101,253, providing exceptional outcomes with far more accessible admission for students interested in engineering and technology fields.
Strong options in the same region with comparable academic profiles.
Students preferring the Midwest should consider Illinois Institute of Technology (55.4% acceptance, $82,592 earnings) just 72 miles from Notre Dame, offering strong technical programs with more accessible admission. University of Chicago (4.8% acceptance, $91,885 earnings) provides similar academic rigor 70 miles away, while Northwestern University (7.2% acceptance, $89,363 earnings) offers comparable selectivity with different strengths 78 miles from Notre Dame.
Schools with comparable admission profiles — useful for building a balanced list.
Other highly selective options include Northwestern University (7.1% acceptance, $89,363 earnings) for students prioritizing research opportunities, University of Chicago (4.8% acceptance, $91,885 earnings) for those interested in intellectual rigor, or Emory University (11.1% acceptance, $80,137 earnings) for students seeking a similar selective environment with different regional characteristics.
Elite universities with similar prestige and academic caliber
