University of Notre Dame vs. Rice University

Rice is meaningfully harder to get into. A 3.3-percentage-point gap between 11.3% (Notre Dame) and 8.0% (Rice) reflects real selectivity differences. Notre Dame is the more realistic target for a balanced college list.

Rice is significantly cheaper after aid. The average net price gap is $13,410 per year, $53,640 over four years. For most families that difference is the deciding factor when both schools admit you.

Notre Dame graduates earn $10,262 more on average at the 10-year mark. This usually reflects major distribution more than school quality — schools that concentrate in CS, engineering, and finance pull higher medians than schools with more humanities and social science graduates. Rice grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.

Notre Dame is substantially larger with 9,112 undergrads vs 4,776 at Rice. Bigger universities have more major options and broader research opportunities; smaller ones offer more access to faculty and tighter-knit communities.

Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. Notre Dame is in Notre Dame, Indiana; Rice is in Houston, Texas. Climate, cost-of-living, and proximity to job markets in your target field shape the four-year experience and post-grad pipeline more than most prospective students realize.

Rice has a more international student body (12.8% non-resident students vs 6.9%). For applicants who value global exposure or have international academic interests, that mix shows up in classroom culture and alumni network.