Northwestern University vs University of Notre Dame

This page compares Northwestern University and University of Notre Dame across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 24 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 24 applicants admitted to both schools, 75% chose to attend Northwestern University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, Northwestern University is ranked #10 compared to #20 — a gap of 10 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois, 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: Northwestern University places 64.1% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 39.6% for the other school. This 24 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, University of Notre Dame has lower tuition at $73,430 per year compared to $79,772. Combined with employment rates of 95.6% (NU) 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 $150,000 compared to $121,500, a difference of $28,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.