University of Iowa vs Villanova University
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 20.7% at Villanova.
- Villanova costs about $6K less over three years after the average scholarship: $164K against $170K, and more of its students get a scholarship (87% vs 77%).
- Villanova is harder to get into: a 164 median LSAT and a 25.9% acceptance rate, against 164 and 44.3% at Iowa.
- Iowa has the higher first time bar pass rate: 91.4% against 90.0%.
Iowa
vs
Villanova
Where graduates go
Iowa leads 4 of 5
✓22.8%
BigLaw + federal clerkships
20.7%
17.7%
BigLaw (501+ attorney firms)
✓19.6%
✓5.1%
Federal clerkships
1.1%
✓98.7%
Graduates employed
96.7%
✓91.4%
First time bar passage
90.0%
What it costs
Villanova leads 4 of 4
$170K
Three year net cost
✓$164K
77%
Students receiving a scholarship
✓87%
$30,043/yr
Median scholarship (recipients)
✓$40,000/yr
$21,920/yr
Average scholarship (all students)
✓$31,498/yr
Who gets in
Acceptance rate: Iowa 44.3% · Villanova 25.9%
LSAT
Bars run from the 25th to the 75th percentile, with the median marked.
Iowa
161164165
Villanova
159164166
156158160162164166168
GPA
Undergraduate GPA of the entering class, same scale for both schools.
Iowa
3.623.783.92
Villanova
3.643.803.90
3.553.653.753.853.95
University of Iowa
Villanova University
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Frequently asked questions
Is Iowa or Villanova better for BigLaw?
Iowa placed more of its Class of 2025 in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 22.8% against 20.7%. By BigLaw alone (firms of 501+ attorneys), Iowa placed 17.7% and Villanova placed 19.6%. Federal clerkships were 5.1% at Iowa and 1.1% at Villanova.
Which is harder to get into, Iowa or Villanova?
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. Villanova's had 164 and 3.80, with 25.9%. Add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances at both.
Which costs less, Iowa or Villanova?
After the average scholarship, three years cost about $170K at Iowa and $164K at Villanova, 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 Villanova?
77% of Iowa students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $30,043 a year among recipients. 87% of Villanova students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $40,000 a year among recipients.
Which has the better bar passage rate?
91.4% of Iowa's first time takers passed in 2025, against 90.0% at Villanova. Each school's profile shows how that compares with the states where its graduates sat.
Should I choose Iowa or Villanova?
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