Northwestern University vs University of California—Los Angeles

This page compares Northwestern University and University of California—Los Angeles across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 52 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 52 applicants admitted to both schools, 58% chose to attend Northwestern University. 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 #12, separated by just 2 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois, while University of California—Los Angeles is in Los Angeles, 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 50.5% for the other school. This 14 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 $79,772. Combined with employment rates of 95.6% (NU) and 94.4% (UCLA), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Northwestern University offered a median scholarship of $135,000 compared to $90,000, a difference of $45,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.