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Head-to-head · 39 cross-admits

When applicants got into both, 100% chose UT. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 39 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.

39
cross-admits
16
cycles
+0pt
YoY shift

Cross-admit decision

Of 39 applicants admitted to both schools
Last 5 cycles
University of Texas at Austin logo Chose UT
100%
Chose UH University of Houston logo
0%

Median scholarship (chose UT)

$57,000 / yr

Median scholarship (chose UH)

$39,750 / yr
View all-time (143 cross-admits)
99% chose UT 1% chose UH

Trend · UT's share

2004–2025
100%
every cycle (16)
100 50 0 04 05 08 09 10 12 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 2004: 100% 2005: 100% 2008: 100% 2009: 100% 2010: 100% 2012: 100% 2015: 100% 2016: 100% 2017: 100% 2019: 100% 2020: 100% 2021: 100% 2022: 100% 2023: 100% 2024: 100% 2025: 100%
UT #15 · UH #89 LSD n≈7/yr

Admissions

Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield
2025 ABA 509
Metric
University of Texas at Austin logo
UT
Austin, Texas
University of Houston logo
UH
Houston, Texas
USN Rank
#16
#54
LSD Rank
#15 (0.165)
75+ (0.003)
LSAT 25th
166
160
LSAT Median
172
163
LSAT 75th
173
165
GPA Median
3.89
3.79
Acceptance Rate
14.0%
23.0%
Class Size
373
249
Yield Rate
41.0%
30.5%

Financial

Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden
2025 ABA 509
Metric
University of Texas at Austin logo
UT
Austin, Texas
University of Houston logo
UH
Houston, Texas
Tuition (In-State)
-
$31,326
Tuition (Out-of-State)
-
$46,051
Median Grant
-
$11,500
% Receiving Grants
-
74.0%
Avg. Debt at Graduation
-
-

Employment & outcomes

Post-graduation placement and bar passage
2024 ABA Employment
Metric
University of Texas at Austin logo
UT
Austin, Texas
University of Houston logo
UH
Houston, Texas
BigLaw (501+)
42.5%
22.3%
Judicial Clerkships
15.8%
2.3%
Median Salary (Private)
$225,000
$160,000
Employment Rate
96.4%
93.5%
Bar Pass Rate
95.6%
88.6%

Overview

About UT vs UH

Across 39 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 100% enrolled at University of Texas at Austin and 0% at University of Houston.

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 Texas at Austin and University of Houston across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 39 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 39 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend University of Texas at Austin. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, University of Texas at Austin is ranked #16 compared to #54 — a gap of 38 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of Texas at Austin has a median LSAT of 172 compared to 163, a gap of 9 points. This suggests applicants to University of Texas at Austin face a more competitive admissions pool.

University of Texas at Austin is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 14.0% compared to University of Houston's 23.0%.

Both schools are located in Texas — University of Texas at Austin in Austin and University of Houston in Houston — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.

Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of Texas at Austin places 42.5% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 22.3% for the other school. This 20 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Texas at Austin offered a median scholarship of $57,000 compared to $39,750, a difference of $17,250 that may factor into enrollment decisions.