Head-to-head · 16 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 81% chose St. John's. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 16 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
Median scholarship (chose Hofstra University)
Median scholarship (chose St. John's)
View all-time (66 cross-admits)
Trend · Hofstra University's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509Financial
Sticker price and scholarship aid 2025 ABA 509Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2025 ABA EmploymentCross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesOverview
About Hofstra University vs St. John's
Across 16 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 19% enrolled at Hofstra University and 81% at St. John's University. The split has shifted -9 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.
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 Hofstra University and St. John's University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, St. John's University is ranked #62 compared to #117 — a gap of 55 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: St. John's University has a median LSAT of 164 compared to 157, a gap of 7 points. This suggests applicants to St. John's University face a more competitive admissions pool.
St. John's University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 23.1% compared to Hofstra University's 40.6%.
Both schools are located in New York — Hofstra University in Hempstead and St. John's University in Queens — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: St. John's University places 22.9% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 10.3% for the other school. This 13 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Hofstra University offered a median scholarship of $206,580 compared to $180,000, a difference of $26,580 that may factor into enrollment decisions.
Your study break just got better: follow @lawschooldata on Follow @lawschooldata on TikTok & Instagram