Butler vs. Notre Dame

Deciding between Butler University and University of Notre Dame? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Butler University
University of Notre Dame

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Butler Indianapolis, IN
  • Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN
  • Setting
  • Butler Large City
  • Notre Dame Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • Butler 5,746
  • Notre Dame 13,042
  • Type
  • Butler Private 4 Year
  • Notre Dame Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Butler #209
  • Notre Dame #27
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Butler -
  • Notre Dame Roman Catholic
  • Status
  • Butler Non-profit
  • Notre Dame Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Butler
  • Notre Dame
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Butler $47,560
  • Notre Dame $65,025
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Butler $47,560
  • Notre Dame $65,025
  • Room & Board
  • Butler $16,430
  • Notre Dame $17,900
  • Average Net Price
  • Butler $38,438
  • Notre Dame $29,300
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Butler $27,790
  • Notre Dame $53,971
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Butler 97%
  • Notre Dame 61%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Butler 9,471
  • Notre Dame 29,942
  • Admitted
  • Butler 8,058
  • Notre Dame 3,374
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Butler 85.1%
  • Notre Dame 11.3%
  • Enrolled
  • Butler 12.9%
  • Notre Dame 61.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Butler 1260
  • Notre Dame 1510
  • Typical ACT score
  • Butler 28
  • Notre Dame 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • Butler 3.92
  • Notre Dame 3.91
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Butler A
  • Notre Dame A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Butler Difficult
  • Notre Dame Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Butler
  • Notre Dame Very High
  • ACT Range
  • Butler 26/31
  • Notre Dame 33/35
  • SAT Range
  • Butler 1160/1350
  • Notre Dame 1455/1560
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Butler Test optional
  • Notre Dame Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Butler Aug 1, 2027
  • Notre Dame Jan 1, 2027
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Butler 11:1
  • Notre Dame 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Butler
    • Business (17%)
    • Education (12%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Communication (9%)
  • Notre Dame
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Engineering (9%)
    • Foreign Languages (9%)
    • Health Professions (7%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Butler 72%
  • Notre Dame 96%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Butler $68,400
  • Notre Dame $89,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Butler 84%
  • Notre Dame 92%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Butler $27,000
  • Notre Dame $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Butler $279
  • Notre Dame $222
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Butler 38%
  • Notre Dame 52%
  • % Women
  • Butler 62%
  • Notre Dame 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Butler Very Low
  • Notre Dame Medium
  • HBCU
  • Butler No
  • Notre Dame No
  • % White
  • Butler 82%
  • Notre Dame 69%
  • % Asian
  • Butler 3%
  • Notre Dame 6%
  • % Black
  • Butler 4%
  • Notre Dame 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Butler 4%
  • Notre Dame 11%
  • % Native American
  • Butler 0%
  • Notre Dame 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Butler 0%
  • Notre Dame 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Butler 2%
  • Notre Dame 4%
  • % International
  • Butler 1%
  • Notre Dame 6%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Butler 4%
  • Notre Dame 1%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Butler 51%
  • Notre Dame 8%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Butler 48%
  • Notre Dame 82%
  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Butler Yes
  • Notre Dame Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Butler Yes
  • Notre Dame No
  • Meal Plan
  • Butler Yes
  • Notre Dame Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Butler No
  • Notre Dame No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Butler No
  • Notre Dame No

Comparable Facts

Compare Butler University in Indianapolis, IN with University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, IN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Notre Dame is larger than Butler based on total student enrollment (13,042 students vs. 5,746 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Butler University is located in Indianapolis, IN (Large City setting); University of Notre Dame is in Notre Dame, IN (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Butler University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Notre Dame is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Butler University 11:1; University of Notre Dame 8:1.

Butler vs. Notre Dame Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butler or Notre Dame ? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Notre Dame than Butler ($29,300 vs. $38,438).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butler University are 8.2% lower than at University of Notre Dame ($16,430 vs. $17,900).
  • University of Notre Dame is 36.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Butler (about $17,465 more per year; $65,025.00 vs. $47,560.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 36.7% higher at Notre Dame than at Butler University (about $17,465 more per year; $65,025.00 vs. $47,560.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butler University than at University of Notre Dame (97% vs. 61%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Notre Dame students is 94.2% larger than aid received by Butler University students ($53,971 vs. $27,790).

Butler vs. Notre Dame Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butler or Notre Dame ? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Notre Dame and Butler.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Notre Dame (1510) is 250 points higher than at Butler (1260).
  • Incoming Notre Dame students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 28 at Butler).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Butler University 1160/1350; University of Notre Dame 1455/1560.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Butler University 26/31; University of Notre Dame 33/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Butler - Test optional; Notre Dame - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Butler Aug 1, 2027; Notre Dame Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Butler students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Notre Dame (3.91).
  • Butler has a higher acceptance rate (85.1%) than Notre Dame (11.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.9% at Butler vs. 61.7% at Notre Dame .

Butler vs. Notre Dame Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butler and Notre Dame ? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • University of Notre Dame's six-year graduation rate (96%) is higher than Butler University's (72%).
  • Graduates from University of Notre Dame earn a median of about $21,400 more per year than Butler graduates about ten years after starting college ($89,800 vs. $68,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Notre Dame graduates have a $5,500 lower median loan debt than Butler graduates ($21,500 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Notre Dame graduates have an estimated $57 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butler graduates ($222 vs. $279).
  • More Notre Dame graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Butler students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 84%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.