Head-to-head · 14 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 71% chose UCD. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 14 self-reported decisions and ABA 509 filings.
Choice, not ranking
These are decisions, not opinions. Scholarship offers, location, intended practice, and personal fit are all priced into the split.
Cross-admit decision
Chose UCD
Median scholarship (chose UCD)
Median scholarship (chose Chapman University)
View all-time (25 cross-admits)
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2024 ABA Employment
Related comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About UCD vs Chapman University
Across 14 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 71% enrolled at University of California—Davis and 29% at Chapman University.
These numbers reflect every factor that goes into a real decision: scholarship offers, geographic preference, intended practice area, and fit. Choosing one school doesn't mean it's "better" — it means the pool of cross-admits, weighing their options, ended up there more often. Pair this with the scholarship distribution and employment outcomes above for full context.
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Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares University of California—Davis and Chapman University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of California—Davis is ranked #52 compared to #112 — a gap of 60 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
Both schools are located in California — University of California—Davis in Davis and Chapman University in Orange — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of California—Davis places 26.3% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 6.2% for the other school. This 20 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, University of California—Davis has lower tuition at $57,460 per year compared to $63,126. Combined with employment rates of 89.3% (UCD) and 85.5% (Chapman University), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Chapman University offered a median scholarship of $195,030 compared to $87,000, a difference of $108,030 that may factor into enrollment decisions.