Head-to-head · 16 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 75% chose Loyola Marymount. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 16 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 Loyola Marymount
Median scholarship (chose Loyola Marymount)
Median scholarship (chose Santa)
View all-time (68 cross-admits)
Trend · Loyola Marymount's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
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
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About Loyola Marymount vs Santa
Across 16 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 75% enrolled at Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles and 25% at Santa Clara University. The split has shifted +9 points across the tracked cycles.
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 Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles and Santa Clara University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles is ranked #70 compared to #150 — a gap of 80 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles has a median LSAT of 163 compared to 159, a gap of 4 points. This suggests applicants to Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles face a more competitive admissions pool.
Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 26.1% compared to Santa Clara University's 52.6%.
Both schools are located in California — Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles in Los Angeles and Santa Clara University in Santa Clara — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
On cost, Santa Clara University has lower tuition at - per year compared to $70,360. Combined with employment rates of 93.2% (Loyola Marymount) and 82.2% (Santa), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.