Pepperdine University vs University of California—Irvine

This page compares Pepperdine University and University of California—Irvine across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 27 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 27 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend University of California—Irvine. 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—Irvine is ranked #38 compared to #55 — a gap of 17 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of California—Irvine has a median LSAT of 169 compared to 164, a gap of 5 points. This suggests applicants to University of California—Irvine face a more competitive admissions pool.

University of California—Irvine is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 14.9% compared to Pepperdine University's 23.4%.

Both schools are located in California — Pepperdine University in Malibu and University of California—Irvine in Irvine — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.

Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of California—Irvine places 29.3% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 11.7% for the other school. This 18 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, University of California—Irvine has lower tuition at $59,080 per year compared to $72,920. Combined with employment rates of 93.9% (Pepperdine University) and 92.7% (UCI), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Pepperdine University offered a median scholarship of $90,000 compared to $75,000, a difference of $15,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.