Columbia University vs University of California—Los Angeles

This page compares Columbia University and University of California—Los Angeles across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 44 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 44 applicants admitted to both schools, 98% chose to attend Columbia University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #10 and #12, separated by just 2 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

Columbia University is located in New York City, New York, 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: Columbia University places 65.4% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 50.5% for the other school. This 15 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, University of California—Los Angeles has lower tuition at $59,084 per year compared to $85,368. Combined with employment rates of 95.6% (CLS) and 94.4% (UCLA), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of California—Los Angeles offered a median scholarship of $120,000 compared to $95,000, a difference of $25,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.