University of California—Irvine vs University of California—Los Angeles

This page compares University of California—Irvine and University of California—Los Angeles across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 46 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 46 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 #12 compared to #38 — a gap of 26 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

Both schools are located in California — University of California—Irvine in Irvine 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 50.5% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 29.3% for the other school. This 21 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of California—Irvine offered a median scholarship of $105,000 compared to $62,500, a difference of $42,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.