Head-to-head · 14 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 79% chose UWisconsin. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 14 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 UWisconsin
Median scholarship (chose UWisconsin)
Median scholarship (chose Marquette University)
View all-time (71 cross-admits)
Trend · UWisconsin's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
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
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
University of Minnesota
53
University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign
39
University of Iowa
34
University of Michigan
24
Loyola University—Chicago
23
University of Wisconsin
14
Overview
About UWisconsin vs Marquette University
Across 14 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 79% enrolled at University of Wisconsin and 21% at Marquette University. The split has shifted -13 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 Wisconsin and Marquette University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Wisconsin is ranked #26 compared to #59 — a gap of 33 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of Wisconsin has a median LSAT of 167 compared to 158, a gap of 9 points. This suggests applicants to University of Wisconsin face a more competitive admissions pool.
Both schools are located in Wisconsin — University of Wisconsin in Madison and Marquette University in Milwaukee — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
On cost, University of Wisconsin has lower tuition at $36,526 per year compared to $51,970. Combined with employment rates of 93.5% (UWisconsin) and 95.0% (Marquette University), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Marquette University offered a median scholarship of $84,000 compared to $36,000, a difference of $48,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.