University

University of Notre Dame

University
#107 / #36
Global Influence / U.S. Influence
#23
Most Desirable School
Catholic university located in South Bend, Indiana, United States

University of Notre Dame Featured Rankings

About University of Notre Dame

By James Barham, PhD

The University of Notre Dame (ND) was founded in 1842 by Edward Sorin, a Catholic priest of the religious order of the Congregation of Holy Cross (Congregatio a Sancta Cruce—CSC). ND was originally a primary and secondary school. Two years later, in 1844, the school received its college charter from the General Assembly of Indiana (which had been a state since 1816). It awarded its first degree in 1849.

Today, ND is still run by the CSC, although the faculty members and the student body are now recruited from far beyond the confines of the Catholic Church.

ND’s transformation from a small Catholic college to a modern research university has been gradual but steady. Already in 1919, the university began to abandon its traditional Classical and Scholastic curriculum in favor of a modern, secular curriculum. Another major push toward parity with secular institutions nationwide was initiated under the leadership of President Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., beginning in the 1960s.

ND gained further national recognition when Hesburgh became a national figure, standing arm-in-arm with Martin Luther King, Jr., at a Chicago civil-rights rally in 1964. In 1969, Hesburgh was appointed Chairman of the US Civil Rights Commission by President Richard Nixon.

In addition to ND’s college, graduate school, and such highly regarded professional schools as the Notre Dame Law School and the Mendoza College of Business, ND is also home to several highly regarded, specialized institutes, including the Keough School of Global Affairs, the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, and the Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Studies.

Among many prominent ND alumni and faculty, we may mention the following:

  • Mathematician, Mei-Chi Shaw
  • Computer scientists, Jeffrey Vitter & James Massey
  • Philosophers, Alasdair MacIntyre, Alvin Plantinga, Ralph McInerny, Peter van Inwagen & Gary Gutting
  • Science fiction author, Orson Scott Card
  • Romance novelist, Nicholas Sparks
  • Physicist, Charles W. Misner
  • Electrical engineer, Panos Antsaklis
  • Aeronautical and biomedical engineer, Dava Newman
  • Physiologist, Philip Majerus
  • Geneticist, Anne Villeneuve
  • Developmental biologist and Nobel laureate for physiology or medicine, Eric Wieschaus
  • Priest, explorer, and early evolutionary theorist, John Augustine Zahm
  • Evolutionary biologist, H. Frederik Nijhout
  • Ecologist, William Mitsch
  • Sociologists, Christian Smith, Ann Mische, Lynette Spillman & Saskia Sassen
  • Economist, Kasey Buckles
  • Political scientists, Patrick Deneen, David E. Campbell, Emilia Justyna Powell & Ming Chu-cheng
  • Legal scholar and political scientist, Richard W. Garnett
  • Intellectual historians, George Marsden & Brad S. Gregory
  • American Studies scholar, Murray Sperber
  • Islamic Studies scholar, Ebrahim Moosa
  • Sinologist, Edward L. Shaughnessy
  • Catholic bishop and popular author, Robert Barron
  • Peruvian priest and liberation theologian, Gustavo Gutiérrez
  • Journalist, Robert Costa
  • TV journalist and political commentator, Mark Shields
  • TV personalities, Phil Donahue & Regis Philbin
  • Current US Representative, John Ratcliffe
  • Former US Senator, Joe Donnelly
  • Former US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice

According to Wikipedia, The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame , is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, north of the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main campus covers 1,261 acres in a suburban setting and contains landmarks such as the Golden Dome, the Word of Life mural, Notre Dame Stadium, and the Basilica. Originally for men, the university started accepting undergraduate women in 1972.

University of Notre Dame's Online Degrees

University of Notre Dame Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information

Annual ApplicationsAcceptanceGraduation RateMedian SAT ScoreMedian ACT Score
26,50913%96%150033

How Much Does University of Notre Dame Cost To Attend?

Tuition (in-state)
$60,301
Price by Family Income
IncomeAverage Net Cost
0 - 30K$9,201
30K - 48K$7,659
48K - 75K$14,445
75K - 110K$25,532
110K+$48,006

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

How Much Do University of Notre Dame Graduates Make?

If you graduate from University of Notre Dame, then you can expect to earn an average of $98,400 per year. You also have a 94% chance of being employed after 10 years.

University of Notre Dame's Demographics

Demographic data is for full-time, on-campus students.

Student BodyUnder-GradsGraduates
13,6879,1174,570

Where is University of Notre Dame?

University of Notre Dame is located at 400 Main Building, Notre Dame IN 46556

What Is University of Notre Dame Known For?

University of Notre Dame is known for it's academic work in the following disciplines:

University of Notre Dame's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered

Religious Studies
#29
World Rank
#44
Historical Rank
#6
USA Rank
religious-studies-hub Degrees
Philosophy
#36
World Rank
#43
Historical Rank
#15
USA Rank
philosophy Degrees
Law
#58
World Rank
#68
Historical Rank
#19
USA Rank
History
#51
World Rank
#59
Historical Rank
#22
USA Rank
history Degrees
Business
#50
World Rank
#50
Historical Rank
#25
USA Rank
business Degrees
Political Science
#91
World Rank
#96
Historical Rank
#28
USA Rank
political-science Degrees
Education
#100
World Rank
#108
Historical Rank
#30
USA Rank
education Degrees
Mathematics
#113
World Rank
#105
Historical Rank
#35
USA Rank
math Degrees
Communications
#119
World Rank
#135
Historical Rank
#38
USA Rank
communications Degrees
Engineering
#126
World Rank
#143
Historical Rank
#39
USA Rank
engineering Degrees
Literature
#115
World Rank
#152
Historical Rank
#42
USA Rank
literature Degrees
Chemistry
#169
World Rank
#192
Historical Rank
#42
USA Rank
chemistry Degrees
Sociology
#137
World Rank
#149
Historical Rank
#51
USA Rank
sociology Degrees
Economics
#209
World Rank
#230
Historical Rank
#55
USA Rank
economics Degrees
Medical
#153
World Rank
#158
Historical Rank
#56
USA Rank
medicine Degrees
Physics
#209
World Rank
#247
Historical Rank
#56
USA Rank
physics Degrees
Anthropology
#158
World Rank
#183
Historical Rank
#60
USA Rank
anthropology Degrees
Biology
#215
World Rank
#246
Historical Rank
#75
USA Rank
biology Degrees
Psychology
#146
World Rank
#163
Historical Rank
#78
USA Rank
psychology Degrees
Computer Science
#275
World Rank
#279
Historical Rank
#83
USA Rank
computer-science Degrees

Who Are University of Notre Dame's Most Influential Alumni?

University of Notre Dame's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Social Work. Here are some of University of Notre Dame's most famous alumni:

Jacques Maritain
Jacques Maritain
A French philosopher.
Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card
An American science fiction novelist.
E. Jerome McCarthy
An American marketing theorist.
Saskia Sassen
Saskia Sassen
A Sociologist.
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
An American Republican politician. Condoleezza Rice is U.S. Secretary of State. Condoleezza Rice is political scientist.
Peter Suber
Peter Suber
An American philosopher.
Jon Barwise
An American logician.
Joe Montana
An American football player .
David H. Barlow
David H. Barlow
An American psychologist.
Eric F. Wieschaus
Eric F. Wieschaus
An American geneticist.
Robert Seamans
Robert Seamans
An American aerospace engineer.
Matthew Fox
A Priest and theologian.

Who Are University of Notre Dame's Most Influential Faculty?

University of Notre Dame's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Social Work. Here are some of University of Notre Dame's most famous alumni:

Candida Moss
A British bible scholar.
Ulrich L. Lehner
A German philosopher, theologian and historian.
Peter Adamson
An American philosopher.
Kevin Costello
An Irish mathematician.
Evan O'Dorney
A Scripps National Spelling Bee participant.
Pete Buttigieg
Pete Buttigieg
An American politician.
Santiago Schnell
A Venezuelan mathematical biologist.
M. Brian Blake
M. Brian Blake
An American computer scientist.
Nick Trakakis
An Australian academic, philosopher of religion.
Nathan H. Lents
Nathan H. Lents
An American writer.
Omar Lizardo
Omar Lizardo
An American sociologist.
Karsten Grove
A Danish-American mathematician.