Which has a higher LSAT median, University of California—Los Angeles or University of Texas at Austin?

University of Texas at Austin has a higher median LSAT of 172, compared to 171. This is a difference of 1 points.

Which school has better BigLaw placement, University of California—Los Angeles or University of Texas at Austin?

University of California—Los Angeles places 50.5% of graduates into large law firms (501+ attorneys), compared to 42.5% for the other school.

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University of California—Los Angeles vs University of Texas at Austin

University of California—Los Angeles vs University of Texas at Austin

Q: When admitted to both University of California—Los Angeles and University of Texas at Austin, which do students choose?

Of 45 applicants admitted to both schools, 69% chose University of California—Los Angeles. This is based on cross-admit decisions self-reported by LSD.Law users.

Side-by-side comparison of admissions, costs, and outcomes

Cross-Admit Decision Data

Of 45 applicants admitted to both schools:

Chose UCLA Chose UT

69%

31%

Median scholarship: $75,000 Median scholarship: $84,000

Based on 45 self-reported cross-admit decisions from the last 5 cycles

View all-time data (122 cross-admits)

57% chose UCLA 43% chose UT

122 total cross-admit decisions (all cycles)

UCLA is #13 · UT is #14 in the LSD rankings

See full LSD.Law school rankings →

About this comparison

This page compares University of California—Los Angeles and University of Texas at Austin across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 45 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 45 applicants admitted to both schools, 69% chose to attend University of California—Los Angeles. 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: #12 and #14, separated by just 2 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

University of California—Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California, while University of Texas at Austin is in Austin, Texas. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.

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Admissions Financial Employment Trends Related

Admissions Comparison

2025 ABA 509

How these schools compare on LSAT, GPA, selectivity, and class composition.

Metric	UCLA	UT
USN Rank	#12 ▲	#14
LSD Rank	#13 (0.259) ▲	#14 (0.186)
LSAT 25th	166	166
LSAT Median	171	172 ▲
LSAT 75th	172	173 ▲
GPA Median	3.95 ▲	3.89
Acceptance Rate	12.1% ▲	14.0%
Class Size	328	373
Yield Rate	31.0%	41.0% ▲

Financial Comparison

2025 ABA 509

Tuition, scholarships, and debt burden at each school.

Metric	UCLA	UT
Tuition (In-State)	$59,084	-
Tuition (Out-of-State)	$71,329	-
Median Grant	$24,456	-
% Receiving Grants	83.0%	-
Avg. Debt at Graduation	-	-

Employment Outcomes

2024 ABA 509

Post-graduation employment placement, salaries, and bar passage.

Metric	UCLA	UT
BigLaw (501+)	50.5% ▲	42.5%
Judicial Clerkships	6.2%	15.8% ▲
Median Salary (Private)	-	$225,000
Employment Rate	94.4%	96.4% ▲
Bar Pass Rate	94.2%	95.6% ▲

Cross-Admit Decisions by Cycle

How cross-admit preferences have shifted over recent application cycles.

UCLA UT

Cycle	Split	Total
2024-2025	55% 45%	11
2023-2024	100% 0%	7
2022-2023	82% 18%	11
2021-2022	50% 50%	6
2020-2021	60% 40%	10
2018-2019	67% 33%	6
2016-2017	60% 40%	10
2015-2016	0% 100%	5
2013-2014	33% 67%	6
2010-2011	60% 40%	5
2008-2009	44% 56%	9
2007-2008	86% 14%	7
2006-2007	50% 50%	6
2005-2006	50% 50%	6