This page compares University of California—Los Angeles and Emory University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 23 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 23 applicants admitted to both schools, 96% 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 #13 compared to #40 — a gap of 27 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 166, a gap of 5 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 Emory University's 30.1%.

University of California—Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California, while Emory University is in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 54.8% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 29.5% for the other school. This 25 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 $69,510. Combined with employment rates of 97.3% (UCLA) and 91.5% (Emory University), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.