Ohio State University vs University of Notre Dame

This page compares Ohio State University and University of Notre Dame across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 22 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 22 applicants admitted to both schools, 96% chose to attend University of Notre Dame. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, University of Notre Dame is ranked #20 compared to #28 — a gap of 8 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

University of Notre Dame is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 16.1% compared to Ohio State University's 24.6%.

Ohio State University is located in Columbus , Ohio, while University of Notre Dame is in South Bend, Indiana. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.

Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of Notre Dame places 39.6% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 12.8% for the other school. This 27 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, Ohio State University has lower tuition at $35,650 per year compared to $73,430. Combined with employment rates of 94.4% (OSU) and 95.2% (ND), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Notre Dame offered a median scholarship of $120,000 compared to $106,938, a difference of $13,062 that may factor into enrollment decisions.