Head-to-head · 25 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 52% chose IU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 25 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 (61 cross-admits)
Trend · UofI's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
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 IU
Across 25 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 48% enrolled at University of Iowa and 52% at Indiana University - Bloomington. The split has shifted +21 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 University of Iowa and Indiana University - Bloomington across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 25 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 25 applicants admitted to both schools, 52% chose to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Iowa is ranked #32 compared to #49 — a gap of 17 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
University of Iowa is located in Iowa City, Iowa, while Indiana University - Bloomington is in Bloomington, Indiana. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.
On cost, University of Iowa has lower tuition at $30,944 per year compared to $36,950. Combined with employment rates of 97.5% (UofI) and 91.5% (IU), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants who enrolled, those choosing Indiana University - Bloomington reported a higher median scholarship — $150,000 versus $113,092 over three years — though aid is one of several factors behind the enrollment decision.
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