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Head-to-head · 41 cross-admits

When applicants got into both, 51% chose UIUC. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 41 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.

41
cross-admits
14
cycles
-45pt
YoY shift

Cross-admit decision

Of 41 applicants admitted to both schools
Last 5 cycles
University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign logo Chose UIUC
51%
Chose IU Indiana University - Bloomington logo
49%

Median scholarship (chose UIUC)

$75,000 / yr

Median scholarship (chose IU)

$127,500 / yr
View all-time (121 cross-admits)
73% chose UIUC 27% chose IU

Trend · UIUC's share

2004–2024

Lowest cycle

38%

Highest cycle

100%
14 cycles
100 50 0 04 05 06 08 09 10 14 16 17 20 21 22 23 24 2004: 83% 2005: 100% 2006: 100% 2008: 80% 2009: 60% 2010: 60% 2014: 83% 2016: 80% 2017: 100% 2020: 100% 2021: 50% 2022: 57% 2023: 67% 2024: 38%
UIUC #32 · IU #38 LSD n≈6/yr

Admissions

Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield
2025 ABA 509
Metric
University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign logo
UIUC
Champaign, Illinois
Indiana University - Bloomington logo
IU
Bloomington, Indiana
USN Rank
#46
#49
LSD Rank
#32 (0.015)
#38 (0.011)
LSAT 25th
160
158
LSAT Median
166
164
LSAT 75th
168
166
GPA Median
3.81
3.91
Acceptance Rate
32.9%
35.8%
Class Size
188
186
Yield Rate
26.5%
28.4%

Financial

Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden
2025 ABA 509
Metric
University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign logo
UIUC
Champaign, Illinois
Indiana University - Bloomington logo
IU
Bloomington, Indiana
Tuition (In-State)
$36,500
$36,950
Tuition (Out-of-State)
$46,500
$58,000
Median Grant
$32,000
$33,000
% Receiving Grants
99.0%
100.0%
Avg. Debt at Graduation
-
-

Employment & outcomes

Post-graduation placement and bar passage
2024 ABA Employment
Metric
University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign logo
UIUC
Champaign, Illinois
Indiana University - Bloomington logo
IU
Bloomington, Indiana
BigLaw (501+)
34.0%
17.2%
Judicial Clerkships
5.4%
12.1%
Median Salary (Private)
$150,000
$100,000
Employment Rate
96.6%
91.9%
Bar Pass Rate
93.6%
87.4%

Overview

About UIUC vs IU

Across 41 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 51% enrolled at University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign and 49% at Indiana University - Bloomington. The split has shifted -45 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.

Looking at a different matchup? Browse all comparisons or run a custom pair from the index.

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Detailed comparison narrative

This page compares University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign and Indiana University - Bloomington across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 41 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 41 applicants admitted to both schools, 51% chose to attend University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #46 and #49, separated by just 3 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois, while Indiana University - Bloomington is in Bloomington, Indiana. 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 17.2% for the other school. This 17 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Indiana University - Bloomington offered a median scholarship of $127,500 compared to $75,000, a difference of $52,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.