Head-to-head · 12 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 83% chose UIUC. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 12 self-reported decisions and ABA 509 filings.
Choice, not ranking
These are decisions, not opinions. Scholarship offers, location, intended practice, and personal fit are all priced into the split.
Cross-admit decision
Chose UIUC
Median scholarship (chose UIUC)
Median scholarship (chose SLU)
View all-time (26 cross-admits)
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2024 ABA Employment
Related comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About UIUC vs SLU
Across 12 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 83% enrolled at University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign and 17% at Saint Louis University.
These numbers reflect every factor that goes into a real decision: scholarship offers, geographic preference, intended practice area, and fit. Choosing one school doesn't mean it's "better" — it means the pool of cross-admits, weighing their options, ended up there more often. Pair this with the scholarship distribution and employment outcomes above for full context.
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Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign and Saint Louis University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign is ranked #46 compared to #91 — 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 Illinois—Urbana Champaign has a median LSAT of 166 compared to 157, a gap of 9 points. This suggests applicants to University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign face a more competitive admissions pool.
University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 32.9% compared to Saint Louis University's 56.4%.
University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois, while Saint Louis University 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 Illinois—Urbana Champaign places 34.0% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 7.0% for the other school. This 27 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign has lower tuition at $36,500 per year compared to $55,260. Combined with employment rates of 96.6% (UIUC) and 89.7% (SLU), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Saint Louis University offered a median scholarship of $125,000 compared to $75,000, a difference of $50,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.