California-Irvine vs. Southern California: Cost, Bar Passage & Outcomes Compared
Both are California law schools. On the most recent ABA Standard 509 data, Southern California posts the higher first-time bar passage (94.0% vs 85.5%); California-Irvine is cheaper on sticker tuition ($59,080 vs $84,034); Southern California places more graduates in full-time JD jobs (96.5% vs 93.5%).
Side by side (ABA Standard 509)
| Metric | California-Irvine | Southern California | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admissions | |||
| Median LSAT | 169 | 169 | Tie |
| Median undergraduate GPA | 3.80 | 3.91 | Southern California |
| Acceptance rate | 14.9% | 11.2% | Southern California |
| Cost | |||
| Resident tuition | $59,080 | $84,034 | California-Irvine |
| Non-resident tuition | $71,325 | $84,034 | California-Irvine |
| Median grant | $25,000 | $40,092 | Southern California |
| Bar passage | |||
| First-time bar passage | 85.5% | 94.0% | Southern California |
| Two-year ultimate bar passage | 92.7% | 95.7% | Southern California |
| Bar passage vs. state average | +7.5 pts | +15.3 pts | Southern California |
| Employment | |||
| Full-time, long-term JD employment | 93.5% | 96.5% | Southern California |
| Large-firm (250+) employment | 34.8% | 63.0% | Southern California |
| Federal clerkships | 0.6% | 3.5% | Southern California |
trajectory since 2011
Full profiles & related
California-Irvine full profile · Southern California full profile · Pin both on the interactive map → · All California law schools
FAQ
Which is cheaper, California-Irvine or Southern California?
California-Irvine is cheaper on sticker: resident tuition of $59,080 versus Southern California's $84,034.
Which has better bar passage, California-Irvine or Southern California?
Southern California has the higher first-time bar passage, 94.0% against California-Irvine's 85.5%.
Which has better job outcomes, California-Irvine or Southern California?
Southern California places more graduates in full-time, long-term JD jobs (96.5% vs 93.5%).
California-Irvine 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), Southern California 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.