Pepperdine University vs University of California—Los Angeles

This page compares Pepperdine University and University of California—Los Angeles across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 38 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 38 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend University of California—Los Angeles. 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—Los Angeles is ranked #12 compared to #55 — a gap of 43 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of California—Los Angeles has a median LSAT of 171 compared to 164, a gap of 7 points. This suggests applicants to University of California—Los Angeles face a more competitive admissions pool.

University of California—Los Angeles is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 12.1% compared to Pepperdine University's 23.4%.

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

Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of California—Los Angeles places 50.5% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 11.7% for the other school. This 39 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 $72,920. Combined with employment rates of 93.9% (Pepperdine University) and 94.4% (UCLA), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Pepperdine University offered a median scholarship of $112,500 compared to $76,500, a difference of $36,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.