University of California—Los Angeles vs University of San Diego

This page compares University of California—Los Angeles and University of San Diego across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 22 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 22 applicants admitted to both schools, 96% 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 #57 — a gap of 45 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 163, a gap of 8 points. This suggests applicants to University of California—Los Angeles face a more competitive admissions pool.

University of California—Los Angeles is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 12.1% compared to University of San Diego's 23.5%.

Both schools are located in California — University of California—Los Angeles in Los Angeles and University of San Diego in San Diego — 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 13.3% for the other school. This 37 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, University of California—Los Angeles has lower tuition at $59,084 per year compared to $66,950. Combined with employment rates of 94.4% (UCLA) and 90.8% (USD), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, University of San Diego offered a median scholarship of $163,425 compared to $45,000, a difference of $118,425 that may factor into enrollment decisions.