Arizona State University vs University of California—Los Angeles

This page compares Arizona State University and University of California—Los Angeles across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 35 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 35 applicants admitted to both schools, 97% chose to attend University of California—Los Angeles. 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—Los Angeles is ranked #12 compared to #45 — a gap of 33 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of California—Los Angeles has a median LSAT of 171 compared to 165, a gap of 6 points. This suggests applicants to University of California—Los Angeles face a more competitive admissions pool.

University of California—Los Angeles is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 12.1% compared to Arizona State University's 19.8%.

Arizona State University is located in Tempe, Arizona, while University of California—Los Angeles is in Los Angeles, 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—Los Angeles places 50.5% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 11.0% for the other school. This 40 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 $59,084. Combined with employment rates of 93.5% (ASU) and 94.4% (UCLA), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Arizona State University offered a median scholarship of $95,000 compared to $77,312, a difference of $17,688 that may factor into enrollment decisions.