Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods at University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame's Management Sciences program delivers exactly what you'd expect from an elite institution: first-year earnings of $83,810 that crush the national median by 35%. What makes this particularly compelling is the reasonable debt burden—at $19,000, graduates owe less than a quarter of their first-year salary. This combination places Notre Dame graduates in the top 5% nationally for earnings while keeping debt below the national median.

The Indiana story, however, adds nuance. While Notre Dame still outearns other state programs, it's closer to the pack than you might expect—Purdue grads earn $70,900 in their first year, just 18% less. Given Notre Dame's 12% admission rate and sky-high SAT scores (1510 average), that gap isn't enormous. You're essentially paying for the Notre Dame network and brand, which matters significantly in quantitative fields where elite recruiting pipelines can open doors to consulting and finance that state schools simply don't access as readily.

The bottom line: this program delivers strong financial returns with manageable debt, making it a solid investment for families who can navigate Notre Dame's selective admissions. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23 means your child could realistically pay off loans within a year or two of aggressive saving. Just remember that comparable outcomes exist at less selective Indiana schools if Notre Dame's admission hurdle proves too high.