Arizona State University vs University of California—Berkeley

This page compares Arizona State University and University of California—Berkeley across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 37 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 37 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend University of California—Berkeley. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, University of California—Berkeley is ranked #13 compared to #45 — a gap of 32 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of California—Berkeley has a median LSAT of 170 compared to 165, a gap of 5 points. This suggests applicants to University of California—Berkeley face a more competitive admissions pool.

Arizona State University is located in Tempe, Arizona, while University of California—Berkeley is in Berkeley, California. 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 California—Berkeley places 52.2% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 11.0% for the other school. This 41 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, Arizona State University has lower tuition at $28,390 per year compared to $62,532. Combined with employment rates of 93.5% (ASU) and 93.6% (UCBerkeley), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Arizona State University offered a median scholarship of $129,250 compared to $93,750, a difference of $35,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.