Head-to-head · 17 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 77% chose CUBoulder. 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 CUBoulder
Median scholarship (chose CUBoulder)
Median scholarship (chose UO)
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 CUBoulder vs UO
Across 17 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 77% enrolled at University of Colorado—Boulder and 23% at University of Oregon.
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 Oregon across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Colorado—Boulder is ranked #54 compared to #91 — a gap of 37 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of Colorado—Boulder has a median LSAT of 164 compared to 160, a gap of 4 points. This suggests applicants to University of Colorado—Boulder face a more competitive admissions pool.
University of Colorado—Boulder is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 27.6% compared to University of Oregon's 55.0%.
University of Colorado—Boulder is located in Boulder, Colorado, while University of Oregon is in Eugene, Oregon. 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: University of Colorado—Boulder places 18.5% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 3.0% for the other school. This 16 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, University of Colorado—Boulder has lower tuition at $35,992 per year compared to $47,240. Combined with employment rates of 89.9% (CUBoulder) and 87.2% (UO), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Oregon offered a median scholarship of $105,000 compared to $51,518, a difference of $53,482 that may factor into enrollment decisions.