Notre Dame vs Sacred Heart University

Nestled in the vibrant college towns of South Bend, Indiana, and Fairfield, Connecticut, respectively, the University of Notre Dame and Sacred Heart University stand as beacons of higher education, each offering a distinct academic experience. While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. This side-by-side comparison delves into these differences, providing prospective students with valuable insights to help them make informed decisions about their educational journey. Explore the table below to discover which university aligns best with your aspirations and goals.
Sacred Heart University logo

Sacred Heart University

University of Notre Dame logo

University of Notre Dame

Overview

Location Fairfield, Connecticut Notre Dame, Indiana
Campus setting Suburb: Large Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 86.0% 98.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Catholic Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 66.1% 15.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
SAT range N/A 1410 - 1550
ACT range N/A 32 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 33.0%
Students submitting ACT score 36.0%
Total number of applicants 12,663 23,642
Total number of admissions given out 8,373 3,562
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,842 2,059
Yield rate 22.0% 57.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $60,042 $78,347
Average net price $43,907 $30,513
Tuition $44,960 $58,336
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,500

Meal plan: $5,454
$16,304
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $19,690
57.0%
Average amount $46,306
Students receiving federal student loan 63.0%
Average amount $5,366
30.0%
Average amount $4,134
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $28,281
12.0%
Average amount $8,564

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 6,761
Men 32.6% Women 67.4%
8,973
Men 51.6% Women 48.4%
Graduate students 3,024
Men 25.8% Women 74.2%
4,166
Men 56.5% Women 43.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 78.1% 93.1%
International students 3.4% 12.1%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 3,434 6,919
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York Connecticut New Jersey Mississippi Rhode Island Illinois California Texas Indiana New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Social Sciences
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 14:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 73.5% 95.9%
Dropout rate 26.0% 3.9%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $94,278
  • Year 2: $92,829
  • Year 3: $100,493
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,676
  • Year 2: $73,949
  • Year 3: $93,313
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,919
  • Year 2: $66,653
  • Year 3: $82,778
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,350
  • Year 2: $74,929
  • Year 3: $78,642
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,605
  • Year 2: $74,652
  • Year 3: $77,798
Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $79,954
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $77,726
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,263
  • Year 2: $71,202
  • Year 3: $73,047
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,979
  • Year 2: $66,989
  • Year 3: $67,313
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,445
  • Year 2: $58,221
  • Year 3: $66,212
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,788
  • Year 2: $56,641
  • Year 3: $65,392
Business Administration, Management and Operations (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,439
  • Year 2: $123,601
  • Year 3: $135,572
Finance and Financial Management Services (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,269
  • Year 2: $89,674
  • Year 3: $126,773
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $120,074
  • Year 2: $108,092
  • Year 3: $123,182
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $87,638
  • Year 2: $85,243
  • Year 3: $110,135
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,593
  • Year 2: $89,968
  • Year 3: $105,831
Mathematics and Statistics, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,224
  • Year 2: $80,273
  • Year 3: $99,815
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,618
  • Year 2: $86,375
  • Year 3: $95,904
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,178
  • Year 2: $74,307
  • Year 3: $92,866
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,118
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $87,393
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,070
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $85,821

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