Head-to-head · 17 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 94% chose ND. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 17 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 ND
Median scholarship (chose ND)
Median scholarship (chose UofI)
View all-time (42 cross-admits)
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2024 ABA Employment
Related comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About ND vs UofI
Across 17 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 94% enrolled at University of Notre Dame and 6% 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.
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 University of Notre Dame 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 Notre Dame is ranked #20 compared to #32 — a gap of 12 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of Notre Dame has a median LSAT of 170 compared to 164, a gap of 6 points. This suggests applicants to University of Notre Dame face a more competitive admissions pool.
University of Notre Dame is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 16.1% compared to University of Iowa's 44.3%.
University of Notre Dame is located in South Bend, Indiana, while University of Iowa is in Iowa City, Iowa. 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 Notre Dame places 39.6% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 15.9% for the other school. This 24 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 $73,430. Combined with employment rates of 95.2% (ND) and 93.8% (UofI), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.