Pepperdine University vs University of Southern California

This page compares Pepperdine University and University of Southern California across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 34 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 34 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend University of Southern California. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, University of Southern California is ranked #26 compared to #55 — a gap of 29 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

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

University of Southern California is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 11.2% compared to Pepperdine University's 23.4%.

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

Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of Southern California places 56.6% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 11.7% for the other school. This 45 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, Pepperdine University has lower tuition at $72,920 per year compared to $84,034. Combined with employment rates of 93.9% (Pepperdine University) and 95.5% (USC), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.