University of California—Berkeley vs University of Washington

This page compares University of California—Berkeley and University of Washington 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, 93% 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 #50 — a gap of 37 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of California—Berkeley has a median LSAT of 170 compared to 165, a gap of 5 points. This suggests applicants to University of California—Berkeley face a more competitive admissions pool.

University of California—Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California, while University of Washington is in Seattle, Washington. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.

Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of California—Berkeley places 52.2% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 15.8% for the other school. This 36 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, University of Washington has lower tuition at $45,927 per year compared to $62,532. Combined with employment rates of 93.6% (UCBerkeley) and 90.1% (UWashington), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of California—Berkeley offered a median scholarship of $105,000 compared to $54,000, a difference of $51,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.