University of California—Davis vs University of Washington

This page compares University of California—Davis 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, 56% chose to attend University of California—Davis. 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: #50 and #50, separated by just 0 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

University of California—Davis is located in Davis, 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—Davis places 26.3% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 15.8% for the other school. This 11 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 $57,460. Combined with employment rates of 89.3% (UCD) and 90.1% (UWashington), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of California—Davis offered a median scholarship of $97,500 compared to $49,500, a difference of $48,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.