California-Los Angeles vs. Minnesota: Cost, Bar Passage & Outcomes Compared
On the most recent ABA Standard 509 data, California-Los Angeles posts the higher first-time bar passage (94.2% vs 94.1%); Minnesota is cheaper on sticker tuition ($51,440 vs $59,084); California-Los Angeles places more graduates in full-time JD jobs (97.0% vs 95.5%).
Side by side (ABA Standard 509)
| Metric | California-Los Angeles | Minnesota | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admissions | |||
| Median LSAT | 171 | 171 | Tie |
| Median undergraduate GPA | 3.95 | 3.88 | California-Los Angeles |
| Acceptance rate | 12.1% | 26.7% | California-Los Angeles |
| Cost | |||
| Resident tuition | $59,084 | $51,440 | Minnesota |
| Non-resident tuition | $71,329 | $61,845 | Minnesota |
| Median grant | $24,456 | $35,000 | Minnesota |
| Bar passage | |||
| First-time bar passage | 94.2% | 94.1% | California-Los Angeles |
| Two-year ultimate bar passage | 97.0% | 98.2% | Minnesota |
| Bar passage vs. state average | +15.4 pts | +10.7 pts | California-Los Angeles |
| Employment | |||
| Full-time, long-term JD employment | 97.0% | 95.5% | California-Los Angeles |
| Large-firm (250+) employment | 56.3% | 23.5% | California-Los Angeles |
| Federal clerkships | 3.9% | 3.2% | California-Los Angeles |
trajectory since 2011
Full profiles & related
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FAQ
Which is cheaper, California-Los Angeles or Minnesota?
Minnesota is cheaper on sticker: resident tuition of $51,440 versus California-Los Angeles's $59,084.
Which has better bar passage, California-Los Angeles or Minnesota?
California-Los Angeles has the higher first-time bar passage, 94.2% against Minnesota's 94.1%.
Which has better job outcomes, California-Los Angeles or Minnesota?
California-Los Angeles places more graduates in full-time, long-term JD jobs (97.0% vs 95.5%).
California-Los Angeles vs Minnesota: 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.