Cornell University vs University of California—Los Angeles

This page compares Cornell 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, 54% 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 #18 — a gap of 6 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

University of California—Los Angeles is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 12.1% compared to Cornell University's 18.2%.

Cornell University is located in Ithaca, 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: Cornell University places 71.9% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 50.5% for the other school. This 21 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 $84,722. Combined with employment rates of 98.0% (Cornell University) and 94.4% (UCLA), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.