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University of Colorado—Boulder vs University of Washington
Side-by-side comparison of admissions, costs, and outcomes
Cross-Admit Decision Data
Of 29 applicants admitted to both schools:
Based on 29 self-reported cross-admit decisions from the last 5 cycles
View all-time data (55 cross-admits)
55 total cross-admit decisions (all cycles)
CUBoulder is Top 75 · UWashington is #49 in the LSD rankings
See full LSD.Law school rankings →About this comparison
This page compares University of Colorado—Boulder and University of Washington across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 29 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 29 applicants admitted to both schools, 55% chose to attend University of Washington. 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: #46 and #50, separated by just 4 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.
University of Colorado—Boulder is located in Boulder, Colorado, while University of Washington is in Seattle, Washington. 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 $45,927. Combined with employment rates of 89.9% (CUBoulder) and 90.1% (UWashington), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
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Admissions Comparison
2025 ABA 509How these schools compare on LSAT, GPA, selectivity, and class composition.
| Metric | CUBoulder | UWashington |
|---|---|---|
| USN Rank | #46 ▲ | #50 |
| LSD Rank | Top 75 (0.008) | #49 (0.011) ▲ |
| LSAT 25th | 161 | 162 ▲ |
| LSAT Median | 164 | 165 ▲ |
| LSAT 75th | 167 | 167 |
| GPA Median | 3.81 ▲ | 3.76 |
| Acceptance Rate | 27.6% | 19.6% ▲ |
| Class Size | 199 | 207 |
| Yield Rate | 20.3% | 30.2% ▲ |
Financial Comparison
2025 ABA 509Tuition, scholarships, and debt burden at each school.
| Metric | CUBoulder | UWashington |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition (In-State) | $35,992 ▲ | $45,927 |
| Tuition (Out-of-State) | $44,002 ▲ | $57,810 |
| Median Grant | $15,000 ▲ | $14,000 |
| % Receiving Grants | 87.0% ▲ | 70.0% |
| Avg. Debt at Graduation | - | - |
Employment Outcomes
2024 ABA 509Post-graduation employment placement, salaries, and bar passage.
| Metric | CUBoulder | UWashington |
|---|---|---|
| BigLaw (501+) | 18.5% ▲ | 15.8% |
| Judicial Clerkships | 18.5% ▲ | 11.1% |
| Median Salary (Private) | $137,500 | - |
| Employment Rate | 89.9% | 90.1% ▲ |
| Bar Pass Rate | 90.4% | 91.7% ▲ |
Cross-Admit Decisions by Cycle
How cross-admit preferences have shifted over recent application cycles.
CUBoulder
UWashington
| Cycle | Split | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025 |
70%
|
10 |
| 2023-2024 |
50%
|
6 |
| 2021-2022 |
0%
|
5 |
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