Northwestern University vs University of California—Berkeley

This page compares Northwestern University and University of California—Berkeley across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 57 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 57 applicants admitted to both schools, 70% chose to attend University of California—Berkeley. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #10 and #13, separated by just 3 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois, while University of California—Berkeley is in Berkeley, 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: Northwestern University places 64.1% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 52.2% for the other school. This 12 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, University of California—Berkeley has lower tuition at $62,532 per year compared to $79,772. Combined with employment rates of 95.6% (NU) and 93.6% (UCBerkeley), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of California—Berkeley offered a median scholarship of $120,000 compared to $90,000, a difference of $30,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.