University of Iowa vs University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign

This page compares University of Iowa and University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 28 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 28 applicants admitted to both schools, 64% chose to attend University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign. 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 #36 compared to #48 — a gap of 12 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 Illinois—Urbana Champaign is in Champaign, Illinois. 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 Illinois—Urbana Champaign places 34.0% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 15.9% for the other school. This 18 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 $36,500. Combined with employment rates of 93.8% (UofI) and 96.6% (UIUC), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.