The call

California Western vs. New Hampshire: Cost, Bar Passage & Outcomes Compared

On the most recent ABA Standard 509 data, New Hampshire posts the higher first-time bar passage (79.5% vs 62.9%); New Hampshire is cheaper on sticker tuition ($42,000 vs $64,720); New Hampshire places more graduates in full-time JD jobs (81.2% vs 79.0%).

Side by side (ABA Standard 509)

MetricCalifornia WesternNew HampshireBetter
Admissions
Median LSAT155155Tie
Median undergraduate GPA3.503.50Tie
Acceptance rate46.9%52.0%California Western
Cost
Resident tuition$64,720$42,000New Hampshire
Non-resident tuition$64,720$50,000New Hampshire
Median grant$37,440$20,000California Western
Bar passage
First-time bar passage62.9%79.5%New Hampshire
Two-year ultimate bar passage74.0%90.1%New Hampshire
Bar passage vs. state average-14.6 pts+0.3 ptsNew Hampshire
Employment
Full-time, long-term JD employment79.0%81.2%New Hampshire
Large-firm (250+) employment6.3%9.3%New Hampshire
Federal clerkships1.5%0.0%California Western

trajectory since 2011

First-time bar passage: 70.6% in 2011 to 62.9% in 202540.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%111315182022242562.9%
First-time bar passage · 2011–2025
California Western — First-time bar passage
First-time bar passage: 82.0% in 2011 to 79.5% in 202560.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%100.0%111315182022242579.5%
First-time bar passage · 2011–2025
New Hampshire — First-time bar passage
Resident tuition: $42,700 in 2011 to $64,720 in 2025$40,000$50,000$60,000$70,0001113151719212325$64,720
Resident tuition · 2011–2025
California Western — Resident tuition
Resident tuition: $39,990 in 2011 to $42,000 in 2025$36,000$38,000$40,000$42,000$44,0001113151719212325$42,000
Resident tuition · 2011–2025
New Hampshire — Resident tuition

Full profiles & related

FAQ

Which is cheaper, California Western or New Hampshire?

New Hampshire is cheaper on sticker: resident tuition of $42,000 versus California Western's $64,720.

Which has better bar passage, California Western or New Hampshire?

New Hampshire has the higher first-time bar passage, 79.5% against California Western's 62.9%.

Which has better job outcomes, California Western or New Hampshire?

New Hampshire places more graduates in full-time, long-term JD jobs (81.2% vs 79.0%).

California Western vs New Hampshire: 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), New Hampshire 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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