Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles vs University of California—Los Angeles

This page compares Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles and University of California—Los Angeles across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 40 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 40 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% 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 #71 — a gap of 59 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 163, a gap of 8 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 Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles's 26.1%.

Both schools are located in California — Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles in Los Angeles and University of California—Los Angeles in Los Angeles — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.

Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of California—Los Angeles places 50.5% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 16.7% for the other school. This 34 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 $70,360. Combined with employment rates of 93.2% (Loyola Marymount) and 94.4% (UCLA), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles offered a median scholarship of $174,000 compared to $48,750, a difference of $125,250 that may factor into enrollment decisions.