Top Law Schools in California

California is a top destination for undergraduate and graduate studies, and for good reason. As a renowned tourist hot spot, the third-largest state in the U.S., and home to the nation’s largest economy, it offers an unparalleled environment for education.

With so much to offer, selecting a law school in California can feel as daunting as picking a favorite restaurant for life. From the vibrant energy of Los Angeles to the academic prestige of Berkeley and the coastal charm of San Diego, the choices are as varied as they are abundant.

Lucky for you, we compiled a list of top law schools in California*, along with the LSAT and GPA scores you’ll need to be a competitive applicant.

*All data in this post was obtained from U.S. News and World Report.

Stanford University Law School
University of California, Los Angeles School of Law
University of California, Berkeley School of Law
University of Southern California Gould School of Law
University of California, Irvine School of Law
Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law
University of California, Davis School of Law
University of San Diego School of Law
Loyola Law School
University of California San Francisco

Not only are these California law schools among the top-rated law schools in the country with the highest echelon programs, but they also include all the benefits of an outdoor-focused Cali lifestyle.

1. Stanford University

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #1
Tuition: $79, 707 (full-time)
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.96
Median LSAT Score: 173
Acceptance Rate: 6.1%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 96.5%

Stanford is a private research university that’s considered one of the best schools in the world. Not surprisingly, tuition comes with a hefty price tag, but it’s lower than other top-five law schools like the University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania.

Competition to get in is tough, and great LSAT scores and grades are a must. As a result, the law school is fairly small. It receives about 5,000 applications a year, and ~ 180 students are accepted.

2. University of California, Los Angeles School of Law

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #13
Tuition: $61, 862 (full-time, in-state) $74,107 (full-time, out-of-state)
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.95
Median LSAT Score: 171
Acceptance Rate: 12.1%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 94.2%

If you find the allure of Los Angeles appealing, UCLA Law School might be your top pick. What this university lacks in history it makes up for in a slightly lower tuition rate. This younger institution has only been around for 60 years, but has established its specializations in business law and policy, critical race studies, entertainment, media, and intellectual property. Plus, the law program offers real experience with deposition participation in actual cases. UCLA Law School also publishes more than ten law journals, including the Entertainment Law Review and the Journal of Law & Technology.

Students can also earn joint degrees through programs offered in conjunction with other academic divisions at UCLA, such as a JD/MBA or a JD/MA in Afro-American Studies through the UCLA Center for African American Studies.

3. University of California, Berkeley School of Law

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #16
Tuition: $66,374 (full-time, in-state) $79,991 (full-time, out-of-state)
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.92
Median LSAT Score: 170
Acceptance Rate: 14.8%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 91.2%

UC Berkeley School of Law has a history of being aligned with current trends and a progressive culture. Berkeley has also been at the forefront of intellectual property, privacy, and other tech-related areas of law.

The school offers specialized curricular programs in areas such as environmental, energy, and clean technology law. Students can tailor their academic interests from the second semester onward, and they can also create their own electives. If greater freedom in sculpting your legal education is of high importance, then Berkeley is as good as it gets.

If you do apply to Berkeley, the competition to get in will be tough, but the good news is the school has a fairly high acceptance rate compared to other top law schools. Upon getting in, you’ll be in good company. Significant legal figures from Berkeley Law include Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren, California Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso, and Equal Justice Society president and founder Eva Paterson.

4. University of Southern California Gould School of Law

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #26
Tuition: $84,034 (full-time)
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.91
Median LSAT Score: 169
Acceptance Rate: 11.2%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 94%

Another popular Los Angeles law school option is the USC Gould School of Law. It is the oldest law school in the southwestern United States. Established in 1896, it became affiliated with USC in 1900 and is named after Judge James Gould, who graduated from Yale.

USC Gould is known for pioneering interdisciplinary and clinical legal education. The school has a later application deadline of April 1 and a higher tuition rate, but a more personalized teaching approach. The ratio of teacher to student sits at 4.8:1.

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5. University of California, Irvine School of Law

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #34
Tuition: $61,288 (full-time, in-state) $ 73,533 (full-time, out-of-state)
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.8
Median LSAT Score: 169
Acceptance Rate: 14.9%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 85.5%

When the UC Irvine (UCI) School of Law opened in 2009 with a class of 60 law students, it was the first public law school to open in California in 50 years. It’s since grown considerably, and today 474 students are enrolled at UCI School of Law.

The school’s curriculum prides itself on innovation and clinical education. More than 90% of students gain practical legal experience by participating in pro bono work. To date, UCI law students have provided more than 170,000 volunteer hours for legal services to people who could not afford them otherwise. There are over 100 pro bono projects available each semester for students to work on.

There is no application fee at UCI and the student-faculty ratio sits impressively at 5.8:1. So, if personalized attention is your preference, then UCI is the right school to consider.

6. Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #46
Tuition: $73,550 (full-time)
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.85
Median LSAT Score: 164
Acceptance Rate: 23.4%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 86.8%

If the beach-going lifestyle or a surfing side hustle to your law degree is particularly appealing, the Rick J. Caruso School of Law in scenic Malibu, California could be for you. This law school at Pepperdine University is known for its high-ranking dispute resolution specialty. It also offers a Master of Dispute Resolution (MDR), allowing students to complete a joint JD/MDR or a joint MDR/Master of Public Policy.

If you’re interested in writing for a legal publication, Pepperdine has numerous legal journals, including the Pepperdine Law Review and the Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal. There is also the opportunity to participate in the school’s Global Justice Program and travel abroad for practical legal experience in international human rights, religious freedom, and global development.

7. University of California, Davis School of Law

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #52
Tuition: $59,870 (full-time, in-state) $72,115 (full-time, out-of-state)
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.7
Median LSAT Score: 165
Acceptance Rate: 21.1%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 88.9%

The School of Law at the University of California, Davis is located 20 minutes from Sacramento and an hour from the Bay Area. The school is recognized for its focus on law and policy and is favored for business law, criminal law, environmental, and international law. This law school also offers externships for a semester in Washington, D.C. If politics-oriented law is in line with your goals, then this particular opportunity is a step in the right direction.

The application deadline is June 1st, and there is no application fee to submit. The tuition falls in the middle range, and the student-faculty ratio sits at 8.3:1.

8. University of San Diego School of Law

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #54
Tuition: $67,751 (full-time)
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.84
Median LSAT Score: 163
Acceptance Rate: 23.5%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 84.8%

The University of San Diego School of Law has the feel of a permanent vacation with campus buildings overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Mission Bay. The school offers both full-time and part-time class options and is a popular choice for those needing part-time flexibility. Notable areas of law at this San Diego school include tax law, constitutional law, and intellectual property law. Various clinics are offered, including the Entrepreneurship Clinic, and you can take advantage of other opportunities via the Energy Initiatives Center and the Children’s Advocacy Institute.

University of San Diego School of Law also boasts popular law journals, including the San Diego Law Review and the Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues, in addition to the student-run newspaper, Motions.

9. Loyola Marymount University Law School

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #70
Tuition: $71,386 (full-time)
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.74
Median LSAT Score: 163
Acceptance Rate: 26.1%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 84.2%

If old school Hollywood is calling, Loyola Law School is located right in downtown Los Angeles. Interested students may be eligible to complete the Entertainment Law Practicum, which includes practical studio experience for Paramount Pictures, MGM, and Warner Bros. However, if entertainment law is not your area of interest, Loyola also ranks highly for its trial advocacy and tax law specialties.

Students also have the opportunity to work on the law school’s legal publications, including the Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review and the Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review.

10. University of California Law San Francisco

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #85
Tuition: $54,329 (full-time, in-state) $63,015 (full-time, out-of-state)
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.71
Median LSAT Score: 161
Acceptance Rate: 27.5%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 83.8%

Pass through the Golden Gate Bridge to arrive at the University of California, San Francisco. Some of this school’s highest ranking legal specialties include dispute resolution, health care law, and tax law.

UC Law San Francisco also emphasizes clinical training and boasts a wide variety of journals, including the UC Law SF Journal on Gender and Justice and the UC Law Science and Technology Journal. Tuition sits on the lower end for a California law school, and the student-faculty ratio is 7.6:1.

Which Law School in California Is Right for Me?

We know choosing a law school is extremely difficult, especially when law schools in California have impressive stats and so many appealing features. If you have the drive, you’ll become a great lawyer no matter where you go to law school, but these are some of our top California law school picks, based on best offerings:

California Law School with the Highest California Bar Passage Rate: Stanford University
California Law School with the Highest Acceptance Rate: University of California Law San Francisco
Most Affordable California Law School: University of California Law San Francisco

Ultimately, you need to decide what you’re looking for in a law school and what factors matter to you most. Does tuition rank the highest, the curriculum…or the proximity to the beach? Each are valid!

How Do I Get Accepted to a California Law School?

Whether you’re applying to the best law school in California or Alabama the process is the same. The first step in the law school admissions timeline is to take the LSAT. Although there are no required LSAT scores for law school, all of these law schools in California have median LSAT scores that give you a pretty good indication of how you compare to their previous incoming class. Remember, law schools want to attract the best of the best, so make sure you give yourself the ultimate shot by getting a high LSAT score.

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Top Law Schools in California