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Side-by-side comparison of admissions, costs, and outcomes
Cross-Admit Decision Data
Of 33 applicants admitted to both schools:
Based on 33 self-reported cross-admit decisions from the last 5 cycles
View all-time data (63 cross-admits)
63 total cross-admit decisions (all cycles)
Richmond is Top 75 · W&M is #32 in the LSD rankings
See full LSD.Law school rankings →About this comparison
This page compares University of Richmond and William & Mary Law School across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 33 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 33 applicants admitted to both schools, 79% chose to attend William & Mary Law School. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, William & Mary Law School is ranked #31 compared to #71 — a gap of 40 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
William & Mary Law School is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 22.0% compared to University of Richmond's 39.6%.
Both schools are located in Virginia — University of Richmond in Richmond and William & Mary Law School in Williamsburg — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
On cost, William & Mary Law School has lower tuition at $38,734 per year compared to $57,700. Combined with employment rates of 94.7% (Richmond) and 91.8% (W&M), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Richmond offered a median scholarship of $120,000 compared to $78,673, a difference of $41,327 that may factor into enrollment decisions.
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Admissions Comparison
2025 ABA 509How these schools compare on LSAT, GPA, selectivity, and class composition.
| Metric | Richmond | W&M |
|---|---|---|
| USN Rank | #71 | #31 ▲ |
| LSD Rank | Top 75 (0.008) | #32 (0.019) ▲ |
| LSAT 25th | 159 | 161 ▲ |
| LSAT Median | 164 | 166 ▲ |
| LSAT 75th | 167 | 167 |
| GPA Median | 3.81 | 3.82 ▲ |
| Acceptance Rate | 39.6% | 22.0% ▲ |
| Class Size | 146 | 184 |
| Yield Rate | 21.2% | 37.9% ▲ |
Financial Comparison
2025 ABA 509Tuition, scholarships, and debt burden at each school.
| Metric | Richmond | W&M |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition (In-State) | $57,700 | $38,734 ▲ |
| Tuition (Out-of-State) | - ▲ | $62,900 |
| Median Grant | $40,000 ▲ | $29,302 |
| % Receiving Grants | 81.0% ▲ | 66.0% |
| Avg. Debt at Graduation | - | - |
Employment Outcomes
2024 ABA 509Post-graduation employment placement, salaries, and bar passage.
| Metric | Richmond | W&M |
|---|---|---|
| BigLaw (501+) | 11.9% | 18.2% ▲ |
| Judicial Clerkships | 13.9% | 14.1% ▲ |
| Median Salary (Private) | $111,500 | $185,000 ▲ |
| Employment Rate | 94.7% ▲ | 91.8% |
| Bar Pass Rate | 80.1% | 83.6% ▲ |
Cross-Admit Decisions by Cycle
How cross-admit preferences have shifted over recent application cycles.
| Cycle | Split | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025 |
8%
|
12 |
| 2023-2024 |
38%
|
8 |
| 2021-2022 |
20%
|
5 |
| 2020-2021 |
0%
|
5 |
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