Is Notre Dame or Fordham better for New York recruiting?

Notre Dame has the edge for New York recruiting, especially for business and finance. Its alumni network is much broader nationally, it has a stronger presence with major finance and consulting employers, and its Mendoza College of Business carries more weight across markets, including New York. Fordham can absolutely place students in the city, but it tends to be more regional and more dependent on a student taking advantage of being physically in New York.

The second difference is network structure. Fordham benefits from location, so students can intern during the semester and build contacts while in school. That is a real advantage. But Notre Dame’s alumni network is famously loyal, and for recruiting-heavy fields, a highly engaged alumni base often opens more doors than simple proximity.

The third difference is the type of access you are likely to get. At Fordham, New York access can feel more self-driven: you are in the city, but you need to hustle to convert that into internships and relationships. At Notre Dame, there is often more built-in momentum through alumni, employer pipelines, and school reputation, which can make the path into New York finance more structured.

For business or finance specifically, I would lean Notre Dame unless being in New York during college is central to your plan, such as wanting semester internships from early on or building a career tied closely to the city from day one.