Head-to-head · 27 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 89% chose UMN. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 27 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
Median scholarship (chose CUBoulder)
Median scholarship (chose UMN)
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Trend · CUBoulder's share
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Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509Financial
Sticker price and scholarship aid 2025 ABA 509Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2025 ABA EmploymentCross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesOverview
About CUBoulder vs UMN
Across 27 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 11% enrolled at University of Colorado—Boulder and 89% at University of Minnesota.
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 University of Colorado—Boulder and University of Minnesota across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 27 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 27 applicants admitted to both schools, 89% chose to attend University of Minnesota. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Minnesota is ranked #22 compared to #54 — a gap of 32 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of Minnesota has a median LSAT of 171 compared to 164, a gap of 7 points. This suggests applicants to University of Minnesota face a more competitive admissions pool.
University of Colorado—Boulder is located in Boulder, Colorado, while University of Minnesota is in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.
On cost, University of Colorado—Boulder has lower tuition at $35,992 per year compared to $51,440. Combined with employment rates of 98.1% (CUBoulder) and 95.5% (UMN), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Minnesota offered a median scholarship of $105,000 compared to $55,000, a difference of $50,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.
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