Head-to-head · 15 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 53% 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 (27 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 UofI vs Mizzou
Across 15 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 53% enrolled at University of Iowa and 47% at University of Missouri.
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 University of Missouri 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 #59 — a gap of 27 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
University of Iowa is located in Iowa City, Iowa, while University of Missouri is in Columbia, Missouri. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of Iowa places 17.7% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 5.6% for the other school. This 12 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, University of Missouri has lower tuition at - per year compared to $30,944. Combined with employment rates of 97.5% (UofI) and 96.0% (Mizzou), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants who enrolled, those choosing University of Iowa reported a higher median scholarship — $93,000 versus $78,000 over three years — though aid is one of several factors behind the enrollment decision.
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