Head-to-head · 14 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 71% chose Suffolk University. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 14 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 Suffolk University
Median scholarship (chose Suffolk University)
Median scholarship (chose UMass)
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
Northeastern University
38
New England Law | Boston
30
Boston College
27
Boston University
17
University of Connecticut
17
Suffolk University
13
Overview
About Suffolk University vs UMass
Across 14 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 71% enrolled at Suffolk University and 29% at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
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.
Looking at a different matchup? Browse all comparisons or run a custom pair from the index.
Compare another pair
Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares Suffolk University and University of Massachusetts Dartmouth across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, Suffolk University is ranked #128 compared to #171 — a gap of 43 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
Both schools are located in Massachusetts — Suffolk University in Boston and University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in Dartmouth — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: Suffolk University places 12.2% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 0.0% for the other school. This 12 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has lower tuition at $31,766 per year compared to $62,610. Combined with employment rates of 87.1% (Suffolk University) and 80.2% (UMass), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth offered a median scholarship of $79,425 compared to $66,000, a difference of $13,425 that may factor into enrollment decisions.