Head-to-head · 20 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 60% chose SMU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 20 self-reported decisions and ABA 509 filings.
Choice, not ranking
These are decisions, not opinions. Scholarship offers, location, intended practice, and personal fit are all priced into the split.
Cross-admit decision
Chose SMU
Typical aid · ABA 509 · 2025
per yearCross-admits who enrolled · self-reported, 3-yr award
View all-time (41 cross-admits)
Trend · SMU's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price and scholarship aid 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2025 ABA Employment
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About SMU vs ASU
Across 20 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 60% enrolled at Southern Methodist University and 40% at Arizona State University. The split has shifted -27 points across the tracked cycles.
These numbers reflect every factor that goes into a real decision: scholarship offers, geographic preference, intended practice area, and fit. Choosing one school doesn't mean it's "better" — it means the pool of cross-admits, weighing their options, ended up there more often. Pair this with the scholarship distribution and employment outcomes above for full context.
Looking at a different matchup? Browse all comparisons or run a custom pair from the index.
Compare another pair
Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares Southern Methodist University and Arizona State University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 20 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 20 applicants admitted to both schools, 60% chose to attend Southern Methodist University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #42 and #44, separated by just 2 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.
Southern Methodist University is located in Dallas, Texas, while Arizona State University is in Tempe, Arizona. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: Southern Methodist University places 33.8% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 14.5% for the other school. This 19 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, Arizona State University has lower tuition at $28,390 per year compared to $60,844. Combined with employment rates of 98.2% (SMU) and 93.8% (ASU), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants who enrolled, those choosing Arizona State University reported a higher median scholarship — $107,500 versus $91,500 over three years — though aid is one of several factors behind the enrollment decision.
Your study break just got better: follow @lawschooldata on Follow @lawschooldata on TikTok & Instagram