University of Houston vs University of Iowa
Where graduates end up, what each school really costs, and who gets in, side by side from each school's official ABA data. Add your LSAT and GPA to see your chances and scholarship estimates at both.
VS
Add your numbersSee your admission chances and scholarship estimates at both schools.
The short version
- Houston places more graduates in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 27.3% of the Class of 2025, against 22.8% at Iowa.
- Iowa costs about $40K less over three years after the average scholarship: $170K against $210K, and more of its students get a scholarship (77% vs 74%).
- Iowa is harder to get into: a 164 median LSAT and a 44.3% acceptance rate, against 163 and 23.0% at Houston.
- Iowa has the higher first time bar pass rate: 91.4% against 84.5%.
Houston
vs
Iowa
Where graduates go
Iowa leads 3 of 5
✓27.3%
BigLaw + federal clerkships
22.8%
✓25.6%
BigLaw (501+ attorney firms)
17.7%
1.7%
Federal clerkships
✓5.1%
95.0%
Graduates employed
✓98.7%
84.5%
First time bar passage
✓91.4%
What it costs
Iowa leads 4 of 4
$210K
Three year net cost
✓$170K
74%
Students receiving a scholarship
✓77%
$11,500/yr
Median scholarship (recipients)
✓$30,043/yr
$8,337/yr
Average scholarship (all students)
✓$21,920/yr
Who gets in
Acceptance rate: Houston 23.0% · Iowa 44.3%
LSAT
Bars run from the 25th to the 75th percentile, with the median marked.
Houston
160163165
Iowa
161164165
158160162164166168
GPA
Undergraduate GPA of the entering class, same scale for both schools.
Houston
3.563.793.90
Iowa
3.623.783.92
3.503.603.703.803.904.00
University of Houston
University of Iowa
More comparisons with Houston
More comparisons with Iowa
Frequently asked questions
Is Houston or Iowa better for BigLaw?
Houston placed more of its Class of 2025 in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 27.3% against 22.8%. By BigLaw alone (firms of 501+ attorneys), Houston placed 25.6% and Iowa placed 17.7%. Federal clerkships were 1.7% at Houston and 5.1% at Iowa.
Which is harder to get into, Houston or Iowa?
Houston's Fall 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 163 and a median GPA of 3.79, with a 23.0% acceptance rate. Iowa's had 164 and 3.78, with 44.3%. Add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances at both.
Which costs less, Houston or Iowa?
After the average scholarship, three years cost about $210K at Houston and $170K at Iowa, including living costs. Public schools are shown at out of state tuition. Your own scholarship can move these numbers a lot, so add your numbers above for an estimate.
Which gives more scholarship money, Houston or Iowa?
74% of Houston students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $11,500 a year among recipients. 77% of Iowa students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $30,043 a year among recipients.
Which has the better bar passage rate?
84.5% of Houston's first time takers passed in 2025, against 91.4% at Iowa. Each school's profile shows how that compares with the states where its graduates sat.
Should I choose Houston or Iowa?
It depends on your goals, your odds and your offers. Compare where each school's graduates end up, then add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances and scholarships at both. Your scholarship offer usually changes the cost more than anything else.
What a higher LSAT changes
Move the LSAT slider in the admissions calculator to watch your odds and scholarship estimates change at every school.
Figures come from each school’s official ABA disclosures. Admission chances and scholarship estimates are modeled from that data and are not predictions of any individual decision. Our data and methodology