University of California—Berkeley vs Washington University in St. Louis

This page compares University of California—Berkeley and Washington University in St. Louis across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 33 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 33 applicants admitted to both schools, 82% chose to attend University of California—Berkeley. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #13 and #14, separated by just 1 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Washington University in St. Louis has a median LSAT of 175 compared to 170, a gap of 5 points. This suggests applicants to Washington University in St. Louis face a more competitive admissions pool.

University of California—Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California, while Washington University in St. Louis is in St. Louis, Missouri. 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 39.3% for the other school. This 13 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, University of California—Berkeley has lower tuition at $62,532 per year compared to $72,792. Combined with employment rates of 93.6% (UCBerkeley) and 96.8% (WUSTL), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Washington University in St. Louis offered a median scholarship of $177,625 compared to $120,000, a difference of $57,625 that may factor into enrollment decisions.