Head-to-head · 14 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 79% chose IU. 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 IU
Typical aid · ABA 509 · 2025
per yearCross-admits who enrolled · self-reported, 3-yr award
View all-time (40 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
University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign
33
Ohio State University
25
University of Iowa
18
University of Minnesota
17
University of Colorado—Boulder
16
Indiana University - Bloomington
12
Overview
About IU vs Indiana University
Across 14 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 79% enrolled at Indiana University - Bloomington and 21% at Indiana University - Indianapolis.
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 Indiana University - Bloomington and Indiana University - Indianapolis across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, Indiana University - Bloomington is ranked #49 compared to #124 — a gap of 75 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Indiana University - Bloomington has a median LSAT of 164 compared to 155, a gap of 9 points. This suggests applicants to Indiana University - Bloomington face a more competitive admissions pool.
Indiana University - Bloomington is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 35.8% compared to Indiana University - Indianapolis's 55.9%.
Both schools are located in Indiana — Indiana University - Bloomington in Bloomington and Indiana University - Indianapolis in Indianapolis — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: Indiana University - Bloomington places 16.5% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 6.1% for the other school. This 10 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, Indiana University - Indianapolis has lower tuition at - per year compared to $36,950. Combined with employment rates of 91.5% (IU) and 86.8% (Indiana University), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Your study break just got better: follow @lawschooldata on Follow @lawschooldata on TikTok & Instagram