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UCLA Law

Los Angeles, California

Rank #14 (USNWR 2023)

170
LSAT
3.92
GPA
15.5%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2023 admissions cycle

170
LSAT
3.92
GPA
15.5%
Admit Rate

UCLA Law is a prestigious JD program located in Los Angeles, California. In the competitive 2023 law school rankings, UCLA Law was ranked 14 by US News & World Report, making it a top-tier law school for admissions-focused applicants. For the 2023 admissions cycle, UCLA Law has an entering 1L class size of approximately 315 with an acceptance rate of 15.5%, positioning it among the most selective law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
CALIFORNIA-LOS ANGELES, UNIVERSITY OF UCLA
Law School Applications
6457
JD application volume in 2023 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
15.5%
90th percentile
JD Program Size
315
89th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$132k

Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.

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UCLA Law Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2023-2024 Cycle Overview
1654 applicants
Accepted
40 / 182
Waitlisted
388
Rejected
413
-
Withdrawn
385
-

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:
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  • 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
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  • 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 2023 admissions cycle at UCLA Law, 6457 candidates submitted JD applications and 1085 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is highly competitive for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 15.5%.

The JD program at UCLA Law enrolls a first-year class of 315 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 27.74%. This means that of the 1085 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 301 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
6457
96th percentile
Admission Offers 1085
Class Size
315
89th percentile
Acceptance Rate
15.5%
90th percentile
Yield Rate
27.74%
41st percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 164.19 168.72 171.36
GPA 3.63 3.75 3.89
Softs T3.13 T3.21 T3.17
Avg Scholarship - - $100,493
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
92nd percentile
165 170 171
GPA
96th percentile
3.72 3.92 3.98
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 165.0 (0.0) 170.0 (0.0) 173.0 (+2.0)
GPA 3.63 (-0.09) 3.83 (-0.09) 3.95 (-0.03)
* Based on 1654 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 78 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 48 days
Interview Invite Rate 1.6%
Interview → Acceptance Rate 57.7%

The above statistics show that UCLA Law typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 165 (25th percentile) to 171 (75th percentile), with a median of 170.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.72 to 3.98, with a median of 3.92.

With an acceptance rate of 15.5%, UCLA Law is considered a highly competitive 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 1654 apps

UCLA Law Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

91.5%
65th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

92.47%
89th percentile

Median Starting Salary

-
Private Sector
96th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

90.0%
90th percentile

BigLaw Placement

49.5%
93rd percentile

Federal Clerkships

6.3%
87th percentile

School-Funded Positions

5.3%

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 287 0 287 90.0%
JD Advantage 5 0 5 1.6%
Professional 2 0.6%
Other 0 0.0%
School-Funded 15 2 17 5.3%
Total Employed 307 2 0 0 311 97.5%
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 69.3%
91st percentile
Judicial Clerkships 7.2%
51st percentile
Government 2.2%
2nd percentile
Public Interest 15.4%
93rd percentile
Business 2.5%
8th percentile
Academia 0.9%
38th percentile

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 20 6.3%
87th percentile
State/Local 3 0.9%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
92.47%
89th percentile
Takers: 332
Passed: 307
vs State Avg +19.2%
Ultimate Pass Rate
99.0%
92nd percentile
Takers: 300
Passed: 297
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
73.23%
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
No data available
Public Sector
No data available

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at UCLA Law is $132k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $73k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

For JD graduates from UCLA Law, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 92.47%. Within two years, 99.0% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +19.2% 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.

A judge is a law student who marks his own examination papers.

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