University of Iowa vs University of Miami
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
- Iowa places more graduates in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 22.8% of the Class of 2025, against 20.9% at Miami.
- Iowa costs about $85K less over three years after the average scholarship: $170K against $255K, and more of its students get a scholarship (77% vs 65%).
- Miami is harder to get into: a 164 median LSAT and a 24.6% acceptance rate, against 164 and 44.3% at Iowa.
- Iowa has the higher first time bar pass rate: 91.4% against 85.3%.
Iowa
vs
Miami
Where graduates go
Iowa leads 4 of 5
✓22.8%
BigLaw + federal clerkships
20.9%
17.7%
BigLaw (501+ attorney firms)
✓20.6%
✓5.1%
Federal clerkships
0.3%
✓98.7%
Graduates employed
91.1%
✓91.4%
First time bar passage
85.3%
What it costs
Even, 2 each
✓$170K
Three year net cost
$255K
✓77%
Students receiving a scholarship
65%
$30,043/yr
Median scholarship (recipients)
✓$47,000/yr
$21,920/yr
Average scholarship (all students)
✓$28,136/yr
Who gets in
Acceptance rate: Iowa 44.3% · Miami 24.6%
LSAT
Bars run from the 25th to the 75th percentile, with the median marked.
Iowa
161164165
Miami
160164165
158160162164166168
GPA
Undergraduate GPA of the entering class, same scale for both schools.
Iowa
3.623.783.92
Miami
3.583.793.88
3.503.603.703.803.904.00
University of Iowa
University of Miami
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Frequently asked questions
Is Iowa or Miami better for BigLaw?
Iowa placed more of its Class of 2025 in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 22.8% against 20.9%. By BigLaw alone (firms of 501+ attorneys), Iowa placed 17.7% and Miami placed 20.6%. Federal clerkships were 5.1% at Iowa and 0.3% at Miami.
Which is harder to get into, Iowa or Miami?
Iowa's Fall 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 164 and a median GPA of 3.78, with a 44.3% acceptance rate. Miami's had 164 and 3.79, with 24.6%. Add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances at both.
Which costs less, Iowa or Miami?
After the average scholarship, three years cost about $170K at Iowa and $255K at Miami, 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, Iowa or Miami?
77% of Iowa students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $30,043 a year among recipients. 65% of Miami students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $47,000 a year among recipients.
Which has the better bar passage rate?
91.4% of Iowa's first time takers passed in 2025, against 85.3% at Miami. Each school's profile shows how that compares with the states where its graduates sat.
Should I choose Iowa or Miami?
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