Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on.

✨ Enjoy an ad-free experience with LSD+

UC Davis Law School logo

UC Davis Law School

Davis, California

Rank #38 (USNWR 2020)

163
LSAT
3.72
GPA
33.06%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2020 admissions cycle

163
LSAT
3.72
GPA
33.06%
Admit Rate

UC Davis Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Davis, California. In the competitive 2020 law school rankings, UC Davis Law School was ranked 38 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2020 admissions cycle, UC Davis Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 196 with an acceptance rate of 33.06%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
CALIFORNIA-DAVIS, UNIVERSITY OF UCD UCDavis
Law School Applications
3058
JD application volume in 2020 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
33.06%
79th percentile
JD Program Size
196
63rd percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$60k

The law is reason, free from passion.

✨ Enjoy an ad-free experience with LSD+

UC Davis Law School Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2020-2021 Cycle Overview
492 applicants
Accepted
18 / 146
Waitlisted
93
Rejected
69
-
Withdrawn
125
-

Admissions Graphs

25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

LSAT Score: Law School Admission Test score (120-180 scale)

GPA: Undergraduate Grade Point Average (0.0-4.3+ scale)

This chart shows when decisions were made throughout the application cycle. Use the filters above to refine the data.

How to Use These Graphs
Graph Navigation:
  • Zoom: Click and drag to zoom into a specific area
  • Reset zoom: Double-click anywhere on the graph
  • View details: Hover over any point to see detailed information
  • Visit profile: Click on any point to open that user's profile page
  • Toggle series: Click on any legend item to show/hide that category (accepted, waitlisted, rejected, unknown)
Advanced Features:
  • Colorblind mode: Toggle on in the controls above for an alternative color palette
  • Export/Print: Click the menu in the top-right corner of any graph to download or print
  • Cycle selection: Use the dropdown in the controls above to view data from different application cycles
  • Demographic filters: Filter by International, URM, Military, or Early Decision status to compare specific groups
  • Custom axes: On the LSAT vs. GPA graph, select different metrics to compare (dates, scholarships, etc.)
  • Compare your stats: Your own stats will appear as a blue diamond when viewing these graphs

Selectivity & Competitiveness Trends

How to interpret this chart:

  • LSAT (blue): Shows the 25th/50th/75th percentiles as a shaded band with median line. Hover to see exact values in format: 165/170/175
  • GPA (green): Shows the 25th/50th/75th percentiles as a shaded band with median line. Hover to see exact values in format: 3.45/3.65/3.85
  • Acceptance Rate (orange): Percentage of applicants who received offers (lower = more selective)
  • Applications (purple dashed): Total number of applications received each year

Rising LSAT/GPA medians, narrowing bands, or falling acceptance rates indicate increasing competitiveness. Click legend items to show/hide metrics.

For law school applicants interested in the 2020 admissions cycle at UC Davis Law School, 3058 candidates submitted JD applications and 1011 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 33.06%.

The JD program at UC Davis Law School enrolls a first-year class of 196 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 18.99%. This means that of the 1011 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 192 chose to enroll. Understanding these law school admission statistics can help prospective JD applicants evaluate their chances and plan their application strategy.

For a competitive law school application to UC Davis Law School, students should aim to meet or exceed the median statistics shown below. Meeting these GPA and LSAT targets significantly improves your chances of admission.

JD Admission Requirements & Application Statistics

Admissions Metrics (ABA 509)
Metric Value
Applications
3058
83rd percentile
Admission Offers 1011
Class Size
196
63rd percentile
Acceptance Rate
33.06%
79th percentile
Yield Rate
18.99%
6th percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 159.07 163.56 166.04
GPA 3.27 3.52 3.64
Softs T3.14 T3.2 T3.2
Avg Scholarship - - $109,495
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
79th percentile
158 163 164
GPA
76th percentile
3.52 3.72 3.81
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 159.25 (+1.25) 164.0 (+1.0) 167.0 (+3.0)
GPA 3.34 (-0.18) 3.58 (-0.14) 3.76 (-0.05)
* Based on 492 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 74 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 21 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.0%
Interview → Acceptance Rate -

The above statistics show that UC Davis Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 158 (25th percentile) to 164 (75th percentile), with a median of 163.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.52 to 3.81, with a median of 3.72.

With an acceptance rate of 33.06%, UC Davis Law School is considered a selective law school in terms of admissions.

What these numbers mean
  • Percentiles: The 25th/50th/75th percentiles show the distribution of scores among admitted students.
  • Applications: Total number of people who applied to this law school.
  • Acceptance Rate: Percentage of applicants who received offers (lower = more selective).
  • Yield Rate: Percentage of admitted students who enrolled (higher = more desirable).

Application Status Data

UC Davis Law School Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 492 apps

UC Davis Law School Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

84.8%
57th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

84.46%
64th percentile

Median Starting Salary

$100,000
Private Sector
71st percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

77.5%
70th percentile

BigLaw Placement

17.9%
84th percentile

Federal Clerkships

3.3%
66th percentile

School-Funded Positions

3.3%

Employment Quality Distribution

Law Firm Employment by Size

Employment Quality Matrix

Employment Type Full-Time
Long-Term
Full-Time
Short-Term
Part-Time
Long-Term
Part-Time
Short-Term
Total % of Grads
Bar Required 117 1 118 78.1%
JD Advantage 10 0 10 6.6%
Professional 1 0.7%
Other 0 0.0%
School-Funded 2 3 5 3.3%
Total Employed 129 4 0 0 134 88.7%
School-Funded: May inflate stats

Generally, if you attend law school, you want to secure a bar-required position. However, at prestigious institutions, students may target specific JD advantage positions such as private equity or elite consulting roles.

Employment by Sector

Distribution

Sector Details

Employment Sector % of Graduates National Percentile
Law Firms 51.7%
68th percentile
Judicial Clerkships 5.3%
38th percentile
Government 7.9%
25th percentile
Public Interest 12.6%
91st percentile
Business 9.9%
51st percentile
Academia 1.3%
58th percentile

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 5 3.3%
66th percentile
State/Local 3 2.0%

Federal clerkships are highly prestigious positions that significantly enhance career prospects in litigation and academia.

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
84.46%
64th percentile
Takers: 148
Passed: 125
vs State Avg +14.4%
Ultimate Pass Rate
92.5%
61st percentile
Takers: 160
Passed: 148
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
70.01%
State average for jurisdictions where graduates took the bar
Understanding bar passage metrics

First-time: Immediate readiness indicator

Ultimate: Long-term success within 2 years

vs State: Performance relative to state average

Bar Passage Rates Comparison

Salary Outcomes

Private Sector
Median Salary $100,000
71st percentile
25th Percentile $82,000
83rd percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $54,000
30th percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at UC Davis Law School is $60k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $49k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at UC Davis Law School, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $100,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $54,000. These post-law school employment outcomes are important factors for evaluating the return on investment for your legal education.

For law school applicants interested in specific legal career paths, it's worth noting that 51.7% of UC Davis Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 5.3% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 12.6% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 84.8% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from UC Davis Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 84.46%. Within two years, 92.5% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +14.4% compared to the weighted state average. These bar passage metrics are important indicators of how well the law school prepares its students for this crucial professional licensing examination.