University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign vs University of Wisconsin

This page compares University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign and University of Wisconsin across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 34 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 34 applicants admitted to both schools, 71% chose to attend University of Wisconsin. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, University of Wisconsin is ranked #28 compared to #48 — a gap of 20 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

University of Wisconsin is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 19.1% compared to University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign's 32.9%.

University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois, while University of Wisconsin is in Madison, Wisconsin. 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 12.5% for the other school. This 22 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Wisconsin offered a median scholarship of $150,000 compared to $139,500, a difference of $10,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.