California-Berkeley vs. Southern California: 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); Southern California posts the higher first-time bar passage (94.01% vs 91.16%); California-Berkeley is cheaper on sticker tuition ($62,532 vs $84,034); California-Berkeley places more graduates in full-time JD jobs (97.2% vs 96.5%).

Side by side (ABA Standard 509)

MetricCalifornia-BerkeleySouthern CaliforniaBetter
Admissions
Median LSAT170169California-Berkeley
Median undergraduate GPA3.923.91California-Berkeley
Acceptance rate14.8%11.2%Southern California
Cost
Resident tuition$62,532$84,034California-Berkeley
Non-resident tuition$76,149$84,034California-Berkeley
Median grant$31,158$40,092Southern California
Bar passage
First-time bar passage91.16%94.01%Southern California
Two-year ultimate bar passage98.58%95.73%California-Berkeley
Bar passage vs. state average+11.2 pts+15.3 ptsSouthern California
Employment
Full-time, long-term JD employment97.2%96.5%California-Berkeley
Large-firm (250+) employment60.7%63%Southern California
Federal clerkships6.4%3.5%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: 90.23% in 2011 to 94.01% in 202580%85%90%95%100%111315182022242594.01%
First-time bar passage · 2011–2025
Southern California — 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: $50,591 in 2011 to $84,034 in 2025$40,000$50,000$60,000$70,000$80,000$90,0001113151719212325$84,034
Resident tuition · 2011–2025
Southern California — Resident tuition

Full profiles & related

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

FAQ

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

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

Which is cheaper, California-Berkeley or Southern California?

California-Berkeley is cheaper on sticker: resident tuition of $62,532 versus Southern California's $84,034.

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

Southern California has the higher first-time bar passage, 94.01% against California-Berkeley's 91.16%.

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

California-Berkeley places more graduates in full-time, long-term JD jobs (97.2% vs 96.5%).

California-Berkeley vs Southern California: 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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