Head-to-head · 14 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 93% chose Wayne State. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 14 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 Wayne State
Median scholarship (chose Wayne State)
Median scholarship (chose Detroit Mercy)
View all-time (23 cross-admits)
Trend · Wayne State's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
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
Michigan State University
21
University of Detroit Mercy
14
University of Michigan
13
Wayne State University
14
Overview
About Wayne State vs Detroit Mercy
Across 14 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 93% enrolled at Wayne State University and 7% at University of Detroit Mercy. The split has shifted -20 points across the tracked cycles.
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 Wayne State University and University of Detroit Mercy across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, Wayne State University is ranked #62 compared to #142 — a gap of 80 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Wayne State University has a median LSAT of 164 compared to 156, a gap of 8 points. This suggests applicants to Wayne State University face a more competitive admissions pool.
Wayne State University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 24.8% compared to University of Detroit Mercy's 41.4%.
Both schools are located in Michigan — Wayne State University in Detroit and University of Detroit Mercy in Detroit — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
On cost, University of Detroit Mercy has lower tuition at - per year compared to $38,861. Combined with employment rates of 94.2% (Wayne State) and 90.5% (Detroit Mercy), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.