University of Michigan vs University of Pennsylvania

This page compares University of Michigan and University of Pennsylvania across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 53 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 53 applicants admitted to both schools, 68% chose to attend University of Pennsylvania. 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: #5 and #8, separated by just 3 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

University of Michigan is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, while University of Pennsylvania is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania places 64.1% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 50.3% for the other school. This 14 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.