Head-to-head · 11 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 91% chose UCHastings. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 11 self-reported decisions and ABA 509 filings.
Choice, not ranking
These are decisions, not opinions. Scholarship offers, location, intended practice, and personal fit are all priced into the split.
Cross-admit decision
Chose UCHastings
Median scholarship (chose UCHastings)
Median scholarship (chose Southwestern Law)
View all-time (25 cross-admits)
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2024 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2024 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2021 ABA Employment
Related comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
University of California—Davis
47
University of San Diego
43
Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles
41
Santa Clara University
40
University of San Francisco
31
Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles
18
Chapman University
11
University of California (Hastings)
11
Overview
About UCHastings vs Southwestern Law
Across 11 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 91% enrolled at University of California (Hastings) and 9% at Southwestern Law School.
These numbers reflect every factor that goes into a real decision: scholarship offers, geographic preference, intended practice area, and fit. Choosing one school doesn't mean it's "better" — it means the pool of cross-admits, weighing their options, ended up there more often. Pair this with the scholarship distribution and employment outcomes above for full context.
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Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares University of California (Hastings) and Southwestern Law School across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of California (Hastings) is ranked #85 compared to #161 — a gap of 76 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
Both schools are located in California — University of California (Hastings) in San Francisco and Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
On cost, University of California (Hastings) has lower tuition at $49,383 per year compared to $63,160. Combined with employment rates of 51.3% (UCHastings) and 77.2% (Southwestern Law), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Southwestern Law School offered a median scholarship of $120,000 compared to $60,000, a difference of $60,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.