Head-to-head · 15 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 80% chose UofI. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 15 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 UofI
Typical aid · ABA 509 · 2025
per yearCross-admits who enrolled · self-reported, 3-yr award
View all-time (45 cross-admits)
Trend · UofI's share
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price and scholarship aid 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2025 ABA Employment
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About UofI vs Drake University
Across 15 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 80% enrolled at University of Iowa and 20% at Drake University.
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.
Looking at a different matchup? Browse all comparisons or run a custom pair from the index.
Compare another pair
Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares University of Iowa and Drake University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Iowa is ranked #32 compared to #91 — a gap of 59 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of Iowa has a median LSAT of 164 compared to 156, a gap of 8 points. This suggests applicants to University of Iowa face a more competitive admissions pool.
Both schools are located in Iowa — University of Iowa in Iowa City and Drake University in Des Moines — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of Iowa places 17.7% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 0.0% for the other school. This 18 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, University of Iowa has lower tuition at $30,944 per year compared to $50,920. Combined with employment rates of 97.5% (UofI) and 89.5% (Drake University), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Your study break just got better: follow @lawschooldata on Follow @lawschooldata on TikTok & Instagram