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Head-to-head · 49 cross-admits

When applicants got into both, 76% chose UCD. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 49 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.

49
cross-admits
13
cycles
+25pt
YoY shift

Cross-admit decision

Of 49 applicants admitted to both schools
Last 5 cycles
University of California—Davis logo Chose UCD
76%
Chose UCHastings University of California (Hastings) logo
24%

Median scholarship (chose UCD)

$87,000 / yr

Median scholarship (chose UCHastings)

$75,000 / yr
View all-time (152 cross-admits)
64% chose UCD 36% chose UCHastings

Trend · UCD's share

2005–2025

Lowest cycle

11%

Highest cycle

100%
13 cycles
100 50 0 05 06 07 08 09 13 14 17 18 20 23 24 25 2005: 56% 2006: 36% 2007: 44% 2008: 11% 2009: 69% 2013: 80% 2014: 71% 2017: 100% 2018: 100% 2020: 89% 2023: 67% 2024: 89% 2025: 81%
UCD #46 · UCHastings #53 LSD n≈9/yr

Admissions

Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield
2025 ABA 509
Metric
University of California—Davis logo
UCD
Davis, California
University of California (Hastings) logo
UCHastings
San Francisco, California
USN Rank
#52
#85
LSD Rank
#46 (0.009)
Top 75 (0.006)
LSAT 25th
160
158
LSAT Median
165
161
LSAT 75th
167
163
GPA Median
3.70
3.71
Acceptance Rate
16.0%
27.5%
Class Size
209
380
Yield Rate
33.0%
29.6%

Financial

Sticker price and scholarship aid
2025 ABA 509
Metric
University of California—Davis logo
UCD
Davis, California
University of California (Hastings) logo
UCHastings
San Francisco, California
Tuition (In-State)
$57,460
$53,087
Tuition (Out-of-State)
$69,705
$61,773
Median Grant
$25,000
$20,000
% Receiving Grants
99.0%
86.0%

Employment & outcomes

Post-graduation placement and bar passage
2025 ABA Employment
Metric
University of California—Davis logo
UCD
Davis, California
University of California (Hastings) logo
UCHastings
San Francisco, California
BigLaw (501+)
22.1%
22.9%
Judicial Clerkships
6.9%
2.3%
Median Salary (Private)
-
-
Employment Rate
95.6%
94.9%
Bar Pass Rate
88.9%
83.8%

Overview

About UCD vs UCHastings

Across 49 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 76% enrolled at University of California—Davis and 24% at University of California (Hastings). The split has shifted +25 points across the tracked cycles.

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.

Looking at a different matchup? Browse all comparisons or run a custom pair from the index.

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Detailed comparison narrative

This page compares University of California—Davis and University of California (Hastings) across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 49 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 49 applicants admitted to both schools, 76% chose to attend University of California—Davis. 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—Davis is ranked #52 compared to #85 — a gap of 33 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of California—Davis has a median LSAT of 165 compared to 161, a gap of 4 points. This suggests applicants to University of California—Davis face a more competitive admissions pool.

University of California—Davis is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 16.0% compared to University of California (Hastings)'s 27.5%.

Both schools are located in California — University of California—Davis in Davis and University of California (Hastings) in San Francisco — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of California—Davis offered a median scholarship of $87,000 compared to $75,000, a difference of $12,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.