California-Berkeley vs. California-Irvine: Cost, Bar Passage & Outcomes Compared

Both are California law schools. On the most recent ABA Standard 509 data, California-Berkeley is the more selective admit (median LSAT 170 vs 169); California-Berkeley posts the higher first-time bar passage (91.16% vs 85.53%); California-Irvine is cheaper on sticker tuition ($59,080 vs $62,532); California-Berkeley places more graduates in full-time JD jobs (97.2% vs 93.5%).

Side by side (ABA Standard 509)

MetricCalifornia-BerkeleyCalifornia-IrvineBetter
Admissions
Median LSAT170169California-Berkeley
Median undergraduate GPA3.923.80California-Berkeley
Acceptance rate14.8%14.9%California-Berkeley
Cost
Resident tuition$62,532$59,080California-Irvine
Non-resident tuition$76,149$71,325California-Irvine
Median grant$31,158$25,000California-Berkeley
Bar passage
First-time bar passage91.16%85.53%California-Berkeley
Two-year ultimate bar passage98.58%92.7%California-Berkeley
Bar passage vs. state average+11.2 pts+7.5 ptsCalifornia-Berkeley
Employment
Full-time, long-term JD employment97.2%93.5%California-Berkeley
Large-firm (250+) employment60.7%34.8%California-Berkeley
Federal clerkships6.4%0.6%California-Berkeley

15-year trajectory

First-time bar passage: 92.02% in 2011 to 91.16% in 202580%85%90%95%100%111315182022242591.16%
First-time bar passage · 2011–2025
California-Berkeley — First-time bar passage
First-time bar passage: 0% in 2012 to 85.53% in 20250%25%50%75%100%1214161921232585.53%
First-time bar passage · 2012–2025
California-Irvine — First-time bar passage
Resident tuition: $50,163 in 2011 to $62,532 in 2025$45,000$50,000$55,000$60,000$65,0001113151719212325$62,532
Resident tuition · 2011–2025
California-Berkeley — Resident tuition
Resident tuition: $43,280 in 2011 to $59,080 in 2025$40,000$45,000$50,000$55,000$60,000$65,0001113151719212325$59,080
Resident tuition · 2011–2025
California-Irvine — Resident tuition

Full profiles & related

California-Berkeley full profile · California-Irvine full profile · All California law schools

FAQ

Is California-Berkeley or California-Irvine harder to get into?

California-Berkeley is the tougher admit — its median LSAT is 170 against California-Irvine's 169.

Which is cheaper, California-Berkeley or California-Irvine?

California-Irvine is cheaper on sticker: resident tuition of $59,080 versus California-Berkeley's $62,532.

Which has better bar passage, California-Berkeley or California-Irvine?

California-Berkeley has the higher first-time bar passage, 91.16% against California-Irvine's 85.53%.

Which has better job outcomes, California-Berkeley or California-Irvine?

California-Berkeley places more graduates in full-time, long-term JD jobs (97.2% vs 93.5%).

California-Berkeley vs California-Irvine: which is better?

It depends on what you weigh — the table above shows where each wins. Across the four headline measures (selectivity, sticker cost, first-time bar passage, and JD employment), California-Berkeley leads on more of them, but read the row that matters most to you rather than the count.

Source: ABA Standard 509 Required Disclosures, most recent reported cycle. Last updated June 26, 2026.

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