University of Pennsylvania vs Yale University

This page compares University of Pennsylvania and Yale University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 84 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 84 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend Yale 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.

Yale University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 4.1% compared to University of Pennsylvania's 8.1%.

University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while Yale University is in New Haven, Connecticut. 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 30.7% for the other school. This 33 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Pennsylvania offered a median scholarship of $146,000 compared to $116,000, a difference of $30,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.