Head-to-head · 13 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 100% chose UCD. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 13 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
Median scholarship (chose UCD)
Median scholarship (chose USF)
View all-time (40 cross-admits)
Trend · UCD's share
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2024 ABA Employment
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About UCD vs USF
Across 13 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 100% enrolled at University of California—Davis and 0% at University of San Francisco.
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 San Francisco across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of California—Davis is ranked #52 compared to #156 — a gap of 104 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 155, a gap of 10 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 San Francisco's 42.4%.
Both schools are located in California — University of California—Davis in Davis and University of San Francisco in San Francisco — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of California—Davis places 26.3% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 13.3% for the other school. This 13 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
Among cross-admitted applicants, University of San Francisco offered a median scholarship of $135,000 compared to $75,000, a difference of $60,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.