Is NYU or Notre Dame generally considered more prestigious?

Notre Dame is usually seen as having a bit more overall institutional prestige, while NYU is often viewed as stronger in certain industries and in major-city visibility. NYU is extremely well known too, especially because of its New York City location, global presence, and strength in fields like business, finance, film, and the arts.

One big difference is how the schools are perceived as institutions. Notre Dame tends to carry a more classic “elite private university” image in the eyes of the general public, employers, and graduate programs. Its undergraduate focus, cohesive campus culture, and long-established national identity make its reputation feel more unified and easier to summarize.

NYU’s reputation is powerful, but more uneven depending on who is judging it and from what field. In industries tied closely to New York, especially finance, media, entertainment, and parts of tech, NYU can be just as prestigious or even more immediately recognizable. Outside those spaces, people often respect NYU highly but may think of it less as a single traditional campus institution and more as a collection of standout schools and programs.

Among employers, the gap is not huge in a broad sense, and both names carry real weight. But if someone asked purely about overall prestige across the public and employers, without narrowing to a major, Notre Dame probably gets the slight edge. If the comparison shifts to specific professional areas, NYU can absolutely match or surpass it.