Head-to-head · 15 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 80% chose St. John's. 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
Median scholarship (chose St. John's)
Median scholarship (chose Hofstra University)
View all-time (65 cross-admits)
Trend · St. John's's share
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Highest cycle
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2025 ABA 509Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2024 ABA EmploymentCross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesOverview
About St. John's vs Hofstra University
Across 15 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 80% enrolled at St. John's University and 20% at Hofstra 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.
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Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares St. John's University and Hofstra 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 — St. John's University in Queens and Hofstra University in Hempstead — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Hofstra University offered a median scholarship of $206,580 compared to $196,500, a difference of $10,080 that may factor into enrollment decisions.