Which is generally considered more prestigious, Case Western Reserve University or the University of Notre Dame?

University of Notre Dame is generally viewed as more prestigious overall.

One big differentiator is visibility. Notre Dame has a uniquely prominent national profile tied to its long-standing identity, major athletics presence, and very recognizable brand, so people far outside higher education tend to know the school immediately. Case Western Reserve is well respected, but its reputation is more concentrated among people familiar with research universities, STEM, and pre-med circles.

Another difference is how each school is talked about academically. Notre Dame is widely seen as a top private university with strength across the humanities, social sciences, business, and STEM, which helps its overall prestige feel more universal. Case Western has an excellent academic reputation too, especially in engineering, science, nursing, and medicine-adjacent fields, but that strength is often perceived as more specialized than broad-based.

So in common usage, especially among the public and many employers, Notre Dame tends to have the higher prestige ceiling, while Case Western is still a highly respected school with particularly strong standing in certain academic and professional areas.