University of Pennsylvania vs Washington University in St. Louis

This page compares University of Pennsylvania and Washington University in St. Louis across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 62 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 62 applicants admitted to both schools, 97% 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 #5 compared to #14 — a gap of 9 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

University of Pennsylvania is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 8.1% compared to Washington University in St. Louis's 19.0%.

University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while Washington University in St. Louis is in St. Louis, Missouri. 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 39.3% for the other school. This 25 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, Washington University in St. Louis has lower tuition at $72,792 per year compared to $78,348. Combined with employment rates of 92.8% (UPenn) and 96.8% (WUSTL), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Washington University in St. Louis offered a median scholarship of $165,000 compared to $124,500, a difference of $40,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.