University of Pennsylvania vs University of California—Berkeley

This page compares University of Pennsylvania and University of California—Berkeley 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, 89% chose to attend University of Pennsylvania. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, University of Pennsylvania is ranked #5 compared to #13 — a gap of 8 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

University of Pennsylvania is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 8.1% compared to University of California—Berkeley's 14.8%.

University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 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: University of Pennsylvania 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 $78,348. Combined with employment rates of 92.8% (UPenn) and 93.6% (UCBerkeley), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Pennsylvania offered a median scholarship of $130,000 compared to $105,000, a difference of $25,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.