University of California—Berkeley vs University of California—Irvine

This page compares University of California—Berkeley and University of California—Irvine across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 28 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 28 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend University of California—Berkeley. 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—Berkeley is ranked #13 compared to #38 — a gap of 25 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

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

Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of California—Berkeley places 52.2% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 29.3% for the other school. This 23 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of California—Irvine offered a median scholarship of $120,000 compared to $101,250, a difference of $18,750 that may factor into enrollment decisions.