Head-to-head · 13 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 77% chose UofI. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 13 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 Drake University
Typical aid · ABA 509 · 2025
per yearCross-admits who enrolled · self-reported, 3-yr award
View all-time (43 cross-admits)
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 Drake University vs UofI
Across 13 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 23% enrolled at Drake University and 77% at University of Iowa.
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 Drake University and University of Iowa 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 — Drake University in Des Moines and University of Iowa in Iowa City — 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 89.5% (Drake University) and 97.5% (UofI), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
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