University of Pennsylvania vs University of Chicago

This page compares University of Pennsylvania and University of Chicago across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 52 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 52 applicants admitted to both schools, 54% chose to attend University of Chicago. 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: #3 and #5, separated by just 2 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while University of Chicago is in Chicago, 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 Pennsylvania places 64.1% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 48.7% for the other school. This 15 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Pennsylvania offered a median scholarship of $174,078 compared to $90,000, a difference of $84,078 that may factor into enrollment decisions.