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

Both are California law schools. On the most recent ABA Standard 509 data, California-Los Angeles is the more selective admit (median LSAT 171 vs 170); California-Los Angeles posts the higher first-time bar passage (94.23% vs 91.16%); California-Los Angeles is cheaper on sticker tuition ($59,084 vs $62,532); California-Berkeley places more graduates in full-time JD jobs (97.2% vs 97%).

Side by side (ABA Standard 509)

MetricCalifornia-BerkeleyCalifornia-Los AngelesBetter
Admissions
Median LSAT170171California-Los Angeles
Median undergraduate GPA3.923.95California-Los Angeles
Acceptance rate14.8%12.1%California-Los Angeles
Cost
Resident tuition$62,532$59,084California-Los Angeles
Non-resident tuition$76,149$71,329California-Los Angeles
Median grant$31,158$24,456California-Berkeley
Bar passage
First-time bar passage91.16%94.23%California-Los Angeles
Two-year ultimate bar passage98.58%96.98%California-Berkeley
Bar passage vs. state average+11.2 pts+15.4 ptsCalifornia-Los Angeles
Employment
Full-time, long-term JD employment97.2%97%California-Berkeley
Large-firm (250+) employment60.7%56.3%California-Berkeley
Federal clerkships6.4%3.9%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: 83.33% in 2011 to 94.23% in 202580%85%90%95%100%111315182022242594.23%
First-time bar passage · 2011–2025
California-Los Angeles — 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: $44,922 in 2011 to $59,084 in 2025$40,000$45,000$50,000$55,000$60,000$65,0001113151719212325$59,084
Resident tuition · 2011–2025
California-Los Angeles — Resident tuition

Full profiles & related

California-Berkeley full profile · California-Los Angeles full profile · All California law schools

FAQ

Is California-Berkeley or California-Los Angeles harder to get into?

California-Los Angeles is the tougher admit — its median LSAT is 171 against California-Berkeley's 170.

Which is cheaper, California-Berkeley or California-Los Angeles?

California-Los Angeles is cheaper on sticker: resident tuition of $59,084 versus California-Berkeley's $62,532.

Which has better bar passage, California-Berkeley or California-Los Angeles?

California-Los Angeles has the higher first-time bar passage, 94.23% against California-Berkeley's 91.16%.

Which has better job outcomes, California-Berkeley or California-Los Angeles?

California-Berkeley places more graduates in full-time, long-term JD jobs (97.2% vs 97%).

California-Berkeley vs California-Los Angeles: 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-Los Angeles 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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