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Head-to-head · 77 cross-admits

When applicants got into both, 93% chose UVA. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 77 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.

77
cross-admits
18
cycles
-20pt
YoY shift

Cross-admit decision

Of 77 applicants admitted to both schools
Last 5 cycles
University of Texas at Austin logo Chose UT
7%
Chose UVA University of Virginia logo
93%

Median scholarship (chose UT)

$84,000 / yr

Median scholarship (chose UVA)

$120,000 / yr
View all-time (187 cross-admits)
12% chose UT 88% chose UVA

Trend · UT's share

2004–2025

Lowest cycle

0%

Highest cycle

33%
18 cycles
100 50 0 04 05 08 09 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 2004: 20% 2005: 29% 2008: 30% 2009: 33% 2011: 0% 2012: 20% 2013: 14% 2014: 0% 2015: 20% 2016: 0% 2017: 20% 2018: 30% 2019: 0% 2021: 5% 2022: 10% 2023: 7% 2024: 10% 2025: 0%
UT #15 · UVA #7 LSD n≈9/yr

Admissions

Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield
2025 ABA 509
Metric
University of Texas at Austin logo
UT
Austin, Texas
University of Virginia logo
UVA
Charlottesville, Virginia
USN Rank
#16
#4
LSD Rank
#15 (0.165)
#7 (1.553)
LSAT 25th
166
168
LSAT Median
172
173
LSAT 75th
173
175
GPA Median
3.89
3.99
Acceptance Rate
14.0%
10.2%
Class Size
373
309
Yield Rate
41.0%
44.1%

Financial

Sticker price and scholarship aid
2025 ABA 509
Metric
University of Texas at Austin logo
UT
Austin, Texas
University of Virginia logo
UVA
Charlottesville, Virginia
Tuition (In-State)
$38,236
$74,078
Tuition (Out-of-State)
$56,822
$76,396
Median Grant
$23,375
$35,000
% Receiving Grants
94.0%
66.0%

Employment & outcomes

Post-graduation placement and bar passage
2025 ABA Employment
Metric
University of Texas at Austin logo
UT
Austin, Texas
University of Virginia logo
UVA
Charlottesville, Virginia
BigLaw (501+)
39.3%
64.0%
Judicial Clerkships
18.2%
12.0%
Median Salary (Private)
-
-
Employment Rate
99.4%
98.7%
Bar Pass Rate
95.6%
95.0%

Overview

About UT vs UVA

Across 77 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 7% enrolled at University of Texas at Austin and 93% at University of Virginia. The split has shifted -20 points across the tracked cycles.

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.

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Detailed comparison narrative

This page compares University of Texas at Austin and University of Virginia across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 77 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 77 applicants admitted to both schools, 94% chose to attend University of Virginia. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, University of Virginia is ranked #4 compared to #16 — a gap of 12 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

University of Texas at Austin is located in Austin, Texas, while University of Virginia is in Charlottesville, Virginia. 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 Virginia places 64.0% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 39.3% for the other school. This 25 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, University of Texas at Austin has lower tuition at $38,236 per year compared to $74,078. Combined with employment rates of 99.4% (UT) and 98.7% (UVA), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Virginia offered a median scholarship of $120,000 compared to $84,000, a difference of $36,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.