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Head-to-head · 41 cross-admits

When applicants got into both, 100% chose UCLA. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 41 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.

41
cross-admits
12
cycles
+0pt
YoY shift

Cross-admit decision

Of 41 applicants admitted to both schools
Last 5 cycles
University of California—Davis logo Chose UCD
0%
Chose UCLA University of California—Los Angeles logo
100%

Median scholarship (chose UCD)

$105,000 / yr

Median scholarship (chose UCLA)

$45,000 / yr
View all-time (122 cross-admits)
3% chose UCD 97% chose UCLA

Trend · UCD's share

2005–2025
0%
every cycle (12)
100 50 0 05 06 09 10 12 16 20 21 22 23 24 25 2005: 0% 2006: 0% 2009: 0% 2010: 0% 2012: 0% 2016: 0% 2020: 0% 2021: 0% 2022: 0% 2023: 0% 2024: 0% 2025: 0%
UCD #46 · UCLA #13 LSD n≈7/yr

Admissions

Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield
2025 ABA 509
Metric
University of California—Davis logo
UCD
Davis, California
University of California—Los Angeles logo
UCLA
Los Angeles, California
USN Rank
#52
#13
LSD Rank
#46 (0.009)
#13 (0.237)
LSAT 25th
160
166
LSAT Median
165
171
LSAT 75th
167
172
GPA Median
3.70
3.95
Acceptance Rate
16.0%
12.1%
Class Size
209
328
Yield Rate
33.0%
31.0%

Financial

Sticker price and scholarship aid
2025 ABA 509
Metric
University of California—Davis logo
UCD
Davis, California
University of California—Los Angeles logo
UCLA
Los Angeles, California
Tuition (In-State)
$57,460
$59,084
Tuition (Out-of-State)
$69,705
$71,329
Median Grant
$25,000
$24,456
% Receiving Grants
99.0%
83.0%

Employment & outcomes

Post-graduation placement and bar passage
2025 ABA Employment
Metric
University of California—Davis logo
UCD
Davis, California
University of California—Los Angeles logo
UCLA
Los Angeles, California
BigLaw (501+)
22.1%
54.8%
Judicial Clerkships
6.9%
4.8%
Median Salary (Private)
-
-
Employment Rate
95.6%
97.3%
Bar Pass Rate
88.9%
94.2%

Overview

About UCD vs UCLA

Across 41 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 0% enrolled at University of California—Davis and 100% at University of California—Los Angeles.

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.

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Detailed comparison narrative

This page compares University of California—Davis and University of California—Los Angeles across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 41 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 41 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend University of California—Los Angeles. 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—Los Angeles is ranked #13 compared to #52 — a gap of 39 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of California—Los Angeles has a median LSAT of 171 compared to 165, a gap of 6 points. This suggests applicants to University of California—Los Angeles face a more competitive admissions pool.

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

Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of California—Los Angeles places 54.8% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 22.1% for the other school. This 33 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of California—Davis offered a median scholarship of $105,000 compared to $45,000, a difference of $60,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.