University of Pennsylvania vs University of California—Los Angeles

This page compares University of Pennsylvania and University of California—Los Angeles across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 59 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 59 applicants admitted to both schools, 86% 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 #12 — a gap of 7 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 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: University of Pennsylvania 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 $78,348. Combined with employment rates of 92.8% (UPenn) and 94.4% (UCLA), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Pennsylvania offered a median scholarship of $131,250 compared to $112,500, a difference of $18,750 that may factor into enrollment decisions.