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Head-to-head · 76 cross-admits

When applicants got into both, 93% chose UVA. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 76 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.

76
cross-admits
18
cycles
+20pt
YoY shift

Cross-admit decision

Of 76 applicants admitted to both schools
Last 5 cycles
University of Virginia logo Chose UVA
93%
Chose UT University of Texas at Austin logo
7%

Median scholarship (chose UVA)

$120,000 / yr

Median scholarship (chose UT)

$84,000 / yr
View all-time (186 cross-admits)
88% chose UVA 12% chose UT

Trend · UVA's share

2004–2025

Lowest cycle

67%

Highest cycle

100%
18 cycles
100 50 0 04 05 08 09 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 2004: 80% 2005: 71% 2008: 70% 2009: 67% 2011: 100% 2012: 80% 2013: 86% 2014: 100% 2015: 80% 2016: 100% 2017: 80% 2018: 70% 2019: 100% 2021: 95% 2022: 90% 2023: 93% 2024: 90% 2025: 100%
UVA #7 · UT #15 LSD n≈9/yr

Admissions

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

Financial

Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden
2025 ABA 509
Metric
University of Virginia logo
UVA
Charlottesville, Virginia
University of Texas at Austin logo
UT
Austin, Texas
Tuition (In-State)
$74,078
-
Tuition (Out-of-State)
$76,396
-
Median Grant
$35,000
-
% Receiving Grants
66.0%
-
Avg. Debt at Graduation
-
-

Employment & outcomes

Post-graduation placement and bar passage
2024 ABA Employment
Metric
University of Virginia logo
UVA
Charlottesville, Virginia
University of Texas at Austin logo
UT
Austin, Texas
BigLaw (501+)
60.2%
42.5%
Judicial Clerkships
16.4%
15.8%
Median Salary (Private)
-
$225,000
Employment Rate
95.3%
96.4%
Bar Pass Rate
95.0%
95.6%

Overview

About UVA vs UT

Across 76 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 93% enrolled at University of Virginia and 7% at University of Texas at Austin. 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.

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Detailed comparison narrative

This page compares University of Virginia and University of Texas at Austin across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 76 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 76 applicants admitted to both schools, 93% 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 Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, while University of Texas at Austin is in Austin, Texas. 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 60.2% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 42.5% for the other school. This 18 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

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.