Head-to-head · 48 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 77% chose UCD. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 48 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 UCD
Typical aid · ABA 509 · 2025
per yearCross-admits who enrolled · self-reported, 3-yr award
View all-time (151 cross-admits)
Trend · UCD's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price and scholarship aid 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2025 ABA Employment
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About UCD vs UCHastings
Across 48 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 77% enrolled at University of California—Davis and 23% at University of California (Hastings). The split has shifted +29 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.
Compare another pair
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 48 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 48 applicants admitted to both schools, 77% 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.
Your study break just got better: follow @lawschooldata on Follow @lawschooldata on TikTok & Instagram