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Head-to-head · 53 cross-admits

When applicants got into both, 100% chose UCLA. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 53 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.

53
cross-admits
12
cycles
+0pt
YoY shift

Cross-admit decision

Of 53 applicants admitted to both schools
Last 5 cycles
Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles logo Chose Loyola Marymount
0%
Chose UCLA University of California—Los Angeles logo
100%

Median scholarship (chose Loyola Marymount)

$165,000 / yr

Median scholarship (chose UCLA)

$45,000 / yr
View all-time (128 cross-admits)
0% chose Loyola Marymount 100% chose UCLA

Trend · Loyola Marymount's share

2005–2025
0%
every cycle (12)
100 50 0 05 06 08 09 10 13 20 21 22 23 24 25 2005: 0% 2006: 0% 2008: 0% 2009: 0% 2010: 0% 2013: 0% 2020: 0% 2021: 0% 2022: 0% 2023: 0% 2024: 0% 2025: 0%
Loyola Marymount #63 · UCLA #13 LSD n≈8/yr

Admissions

Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield
2025 ABA 509
Metric
Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles logo
Loyola Marymount
Los Angeles, California
University of California—Los Angeles logo
UCLA
Los Angeles, California
USN Rank
#70
#13
LSD Rank
Top 75 (0.005)
#13 (0.237)
LSAT 25th
160
166
LSAT Median
163
171
LSAT 75th
165
172
GPA Median
3.74
3.95
Acceptance Rate
26.1%
12.1%
Class Size
338
328
Yield Rate
28.4%
31.0%

Financial

Sticker price and scholarship aid
2025 ABA 509
Metric
Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles logo
Loyola Marymount
Los Angeles, California
University of California—Los Angeles logo
UCLA
Los Angeles, California
Tuition (In-State)
$70,360
$59,084
Tuition (Out-of-State)
$70,360
$71,329
Median Grant
$45,000
$24,456
% Receiving Grants
62.0%
83.0%

Employment & outcomes

Post-graduation placement and bar passage
2025 ABA Employment
Metric
Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles logo
Loyola Marymount
Los Angeles, California
University of California—Los Angeles logo
UCLA
Los Angeles, California
BigLaw (501+)
16.3%
54.8%
Judicial Clerkships
1.7%
4.8%
Median Salary (Private)
-
-
Employment Rate
91.0%
97.3%
Bar Pass Rate
84.2%
94.2%

Overview

About Loyola Marymount vs UCLA

Across 53 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 0% enrolled at Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles and 100% at University of California—Los Angeles.

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.

Looking at a different matchup? Browse all comparisons or run a custom pair from the index.

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Detailed comparison narrative

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 53 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 53 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 #13 compared to #70 — a gap of 57 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 54.8% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 16.3% for the other school. This 39 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 91.0% (Loyola Marymount) and 97.3% (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 $165,000 compared to $45,000, a difference of $120,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.