Connection lost
Attempting to reconnect
Server error
Reconnecting to server
Behind every great lawyer is an even greater paralegal who knows where everything is.
✨ Enjoy an ad-free experience with LSD+
UCLA Law
Los Angeles, California
Rank #15 (USNWR 2020)
169
LSAT
3.79
GPA
22.75%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles
JD Admissions & Requirements
Data from 2020 admissions cycle
169
LSAT
3.79
GPA
22.75%
Admit Rate
UCLA Law is a prestigious JD program located in Los Angeles, California. In the competitive 2020 law school rankings, UCLA Law was ranked 15 by US News & World Report, making it a top-tier law school for admissions-focused applicants. For the 2020 admissions cycle, UCLA Law has an entering 1L class size of approximately 311 with an acceptance rate of 22.75%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.
Also known as
CALIFORNIA-LOS ANGELES, UNIVERSITY OF
UCLA
Law School Applications
6034
JD application volume in 2020 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
22.75%
JD Program Size
311
JD Tuition Cost
$53k
Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.
✨ Enjoy an ad-free experience with LSD+
Wisdom from UCLA Law Admits
3.49 / 177 • University of California—Los Angeles • 5 months ago
There is hope for splitters!
Read more
4.02 / 173 • Columbia University • 5 months ago
Wrote why Xs/supplements for all schools except for HLS and Chicago; wrote a 4-page PS for...
Read more
UCLA Law Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2020-2021 Cycle Overview
1781 applicants
Accepted
51
/
293
Waitlisted
477
Rejected
352
-
Withdrawn
424
-
Admissions Graphs
Drag the handle in the bottom right of the chart to resize
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles
Filters
LSAT Score: Law School Admission Test score (120-180 scale)
GPA: Undergraduate Grade Point Average (0.0-4.3+ scale)
Drag the handle in the bottom right of the chart to resize
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 UCLA Law, 6034 candidates submitted JD applications and 1373 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 22.75%.
The JD program at UCLA Law enrolls a first-year class of 311 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 21.7%. This means that of the 1373 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 298 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 UCLA Law, 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 |
6034
|
| Admission Offers | 1373 |
| Class Size |
311
|
| Acceptance Rate |
22.75%
|
| Yield Rate |
21.7%
|
| Average Statistics by Decision (LSD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Rejected | All | Accepted |
| LSAT | 164.22 | 168.51 | 170.63 |
| GPA | 3.51 | 3.69 | 3.78 |
| Softs | T3.21 | T3.28 | T3.25 |
| Avg Scholarship | - | - | $83,149 |
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
| LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | 50th | 75th | |
|
LSAT
|
164 | 169 | 171 |
|
GPA
|
3.54 | 3.79 | 3.90 |
| LSD User Stats | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | 25th | 50th | 75th |
| LSAT | 166.0 (+2.0) | 169.0 (0.0) | 172.0 (+1.0) |
| GPA | 3.54 (0.0) | 3.74 (-0.05) | 3.88 (-0.02) |
* Based on 1781 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
| Application Process Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Avg Days: Sent to Decision | 74 days |
| Avg Days: UR to Decision | 68 days |
| Interview Invite Rate | 0.7% |
| Interview → Acceptance Rate | 66.7% |
The above statistics show that UCLA Law typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 164 (25th percentile) to 171 (75th percentile), with a median of 169.
For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.54 to 3.90, with a median of 3.79.
With an acceptance rate of 22.75%, UCLA Law 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
UCLA Law Application Status Data
Application statuses submitted by LSData users
Showing 1781 apps
UCLA Law Law School Employment Outcomes
Overview
Employment Statistics Notice
5.8% of employed graduates are in school-funded positions, which may temporarily inflate employment rates.
JD Employment Rate
88.5%
First-Time Bar Pass
89.46%
Median Starting Salary
$190,000
Private Sector
Employment Quality
JD Required
83.7%
BigLaw Placement
40.4%
Federal Clerkships
4.8%
School-Funded Positions
5.8%
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 ★ | 261 | 1 | — | — | 262 | 84.0% |
| JD Advantage | 11 | 3 | — | — | 14 | 4.5% |
| Professional | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0.3% |
| Other | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0.3% |
| School-Funded | 12 | 6 | — | — | 18 | 5.8% |
| Total Employed | 284 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 296 | 94.9% |
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 | 68.9% |
|
| Judicial Clerkships | 6.1% |
|
| Government | 4.5% |
|
| Public Interest | 9.9% |
|
| Business | 4.5% |
|
| Academia | 1.0% |
|
Judicial Clerkships
Clerkships by Type
| Clerkship Type | Graduates | % of Class | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | 15 | 4.8% |
|
| State/Local | 4 | 1.3% | — |
Federal clerkships are highly prestigious positions that significantly enhance career prospects in litigation and academia.
Bar Examination Performance
First-Time Pass Rate
89.46%
Takers:
313
Passed:
280
vs State Avg
+18.5%
Ultimate Pass Rate
95.4%
Takers:
348
Passed:
332
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
70.94%
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
$190,000
25th Percentile
$120,000
Public Sector
Median Salary
$60,000
Career Outcomes Summary
Law school tuition at UCLA Law is $53k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $62k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).
After completing their JD program at UCLA Law, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $190,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $60,000. 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 68.9% of UCLA Law JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 6.1% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 9.9% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 88.5% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.
For JD graduates from UCLA Law, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 89.46%. Within two years, 95.4% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +18.5% 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.