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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
Indiana University - Bloomington logo Chose IU
49%
Chose UIUC University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign logo
51%

Median scholarship (chose IU)

$127,500 / yr

Median scholarship (chose UIUC)

$75,000 / yr
View all-time (121 cross-admits)
27% chose IU 73% chose UIUC

Trend · IU's share

2004–2024

Lowest cycle

0%

Highest cycle

62%
14 cycles
100 50 0 04 05 06 08 09 10 14 16 17 20 21 22 23 24 2004: 17% 2005: 0% 2006: 0% 2008: 20% 2009: 40% 2010: 40% 2014: 17% 2016: 20% 2017: 0% 2020: 0% 2021: 50% 2022: 43% 2023: 33% 2024: 62%
IU #38 · UIUC #32 LSD n≈6/yr

Admissions

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

Financial

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

Employment & outcomes

Post-graduation placement and bar passage
2025 ABA Employment
Metric
Indiana University - Bloomington logo
IU
Bloomington, Indiana
University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign logo
UIUC
Champaign, Illinois
BigLaw (501+)
16.5%
28.1%
Judicial Clerkships
11.6%
7.8%
Median Salary (Private)
-
-
Employment Rate
91.5%
96.1%
Bar Pass Rate
87.4%
93.6%

Overview

About IU vs UIUC

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

Deciding between IU and UIUC? Work with a consultant who knows both — backed by this exact data.
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Detailed comparison narrative

This page compares Indiana University - Bloomington and University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign 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.

Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana, 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 28.1% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 16.5% for the other school. This 12 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.