Head-to-head · 17 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 100% chose BU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 17 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 BU
Median scholarship (chose BU)
Median scholarship (chose Suffolk University)
View all-time (34 cross-admits)
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2024 ABA Employment
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About BU vs Suffolk University
Across 17 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 100% enrolled at Boston University and 0% at Suffolk University.
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.
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Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares Boston University and Suffolk University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, Boston University is ranked #24 compared to #128 — a gap of 104 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Boston University has a median LSAT of 170 compared to 155, a gap of 15 points. This suggests applicants to Boston University face a more competitive admissions pool.
Boston University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 12.1% compared to Suffolk University's 61.9%.
Both schools are located in Massachusetts — Boston University in Boston and Suffolk University in Boston — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: Boston University places 35.7% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 12.2% for the other school. This 24 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, Suffolk University has lower tuition at $62,610 per year compared to $69,870. Combined with employment rates of 91.2% (BU) and 87.1% (Suffolk University), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.