Head-to-head · 11 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 73% chose NUSL. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 11 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 NUSL
Median scholarship (chose NUSL)
Median scholarship (chose DU)
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 NUSL vs DU
Across 11 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 73% enrolled at Northeastern University and 27% at University of Denver.
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 Northeastern University and University of Denver across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, Northeastern University is ranked #77 compared to #91 — a gap of 14 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Northeastern University has a median LSAT of 164 compared to 160, a gap of 4 points. This suggests applicants to Northeastern University face a more competitive admissions pool.
Northeastern University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 24.2% compared to University of Denver's 41.3%.
Northeastern University is located in Boston, Massachusetts, while University of Denver is in Denver, Colorado. 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: Northeastern University places 19.6% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 8.6% for the other school. This 11 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Denver offered a median scholarship of $135,000 compared to $120,600, a difference of $14,400 that may factor into enrollment decisions.