University of Pennsylvania vs Stanford University

This page compares University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 46 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 46 applicants admitted to both schools, 91% chose to attend Stanford University. 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: #1 and #5, separated by just 4 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while Stanford University is in Stanford, California. 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 40.2% for the other school. This 24 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Stanford University offered a median scholarship of $170,937 compared to $133,500, a difference of $37,437 that may factor into enrollment decisions.