University of Pennsylvania vs Temple University

This page compares University of Pennsylvania and Temple University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 21 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 21 applicants admitted to both schools, 95% chose to attend University of Pennsylvania. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, University of Pennsylvania is ranked #4 compared to #49 — a gap of 45 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of Pennsylvania has a median LSAT of 173 compared to 165, a gap of 8 points. This suggests applicants to University of Pennsylvania face a more competitive admissions pool.

University of Pennsylvania is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 8.1% compared to Temple University's 24.4%.

Both schools are located in Pennsylvania — University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and Temple University in Philadelphia — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.

Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of Pennsylvania places 64.1% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 18.2% for the other school. This 46 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, Temple University has lower tuition at $32,588 per year compared to $78,348. Combined with employment rates of 92.8% (UPenn) and 93.8% (Temple University), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Pennsylvania offered a median scholarship of $210,000 compared to $92,007, a difference of $117,993 that may factor into enrollment decisions.