Duke University vs University of California—Los Angeles

This page compares Duke University and University of California—Los Angeles across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 48 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 48 applicants admitted to both schools, 83% chose to attend Duke University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, Duke University is ranked #6 compared to #12 — a gap of 6 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina, 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: Duke University places 67.9% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 50.5% for the other school. This 17 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 $80,100. Combined with employment rates of 98.2% (Duke) and 94.4% (UCLA), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Duke University offered a median scholarship of $115,500 compared to $84,745, a difference of $30,755 that may factor into enrollment decisions.