Law Schools in California
Currently, there are 18 California law schools that approved by ABA and/or active in IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education.
18 California Law Schools Statistics
The average tuition & fees of 18 California law schools are $57,582 for state residents and $60,225 for out-of-state students for the academic year 2022-2023. The average GPA of the schools is 3.56 and the average LSAT score is 161. The average acceptance rate is 32.75%.
- Gould School of Law has the highest tuition & fees of $74,173 and Western State College of Law has the lowest tuition & fees of $44,580.
- Stanford Law School has the highest LSAT score of 172 and Western State College of Law has the lowest score of 150.
- Stanford Law School has the highest GPA of 3.91 and Western State College of Law has the lowest GPA of 3.11.
- Stanford Law School has the tightest (lowest) acceptance rate of 6.28% and California Western School of Law has the lowest rate of 56.05%.
- Hastings College of the Law has the most enrolled first-year students of 384 and Western State College of Law has the least enrolled students of 107.
ABA-Accredited Law Schools in California
Berkeley School of Law
Berkeley School of Law (part of University of California-Berkeley) is located in Berkeley, CA, founded in 1894 and it has total 1,235 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Berkeley School of Law is $59,237 for California and $67,781 for out-of-state students. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.83 and the average LSAT score is 169. The acceptance rate of Berkeley School of Law is 13.66% and the yield is 31.58%.
California Western School of Law
California Western School of Law is located in San Diego, CA, founded in 1924 and it has total 780 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at California Western School of Law is $58,350. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.26 and the average LSAT score is 153. The acceptance rate of California Western School of Law is 56.05% and the yield is 25.43%.
Chapman University School of Law
Chapman University School of Law is located in Orange, CA, founded in 1995 and it has total 478 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Chapman University School of Law is $59,568. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.60 and the average LSAT score is 160. The acceptance rate of Chapman University School of Law is 28.26% and the yield is 24.07%.
Davis School of Law
Davis School of Law (part of University of California-Davis) is located in Davis, CA, founded in 1965 and it has total 731 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Davis School of Law is $53,093 for California and $65,094 for out-of-state students. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.70 and the average LSAT score is 165. The acceptance rate of Davis School of Law is 28.26% and the yield is 24.64%.
Golden Gate University-San Francisco School of Law
Golden Gate University-San Francisco School of Law is located in San Francisco, CA, founded in 1901 and it has total 518 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Golden Gate University-San Francisco School of Law is $52,880. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.13 and the average LSAT score is 151. The acceptance rate of Golden Gate University-San Francisco School of Law is 51.55% and the yield is 22.98%.
Gould School of Law
Gould School of Law (part of University of Southern California) is located in Los Angeles, CA, founded in 1896 and it has total 1,414 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Gould School of Law is $74,173. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.82 and the average LSAT score is 168. The acceptance rate of Gould School of Law is 12.96% and the yield is 22.91%.
Hastings College of the Law
Hastings College of the Law (part of University of California-Hastings College of Law) is located in San Francisco, CA, founded in 1878 and it has total 1,124 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Hastings College of the Law is $46,034 for California and $52,454 for out-of-state students. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.52 and the average LSAT score is 160. The acceptance rate of Hastings College of the Law is 28.04% and the yield is 31.02%.
Irvine School of Law
Irvine School of Law (part of University of California-Irvine) is located in Irvine, CA, founded in 2009 and it has total 479 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Irvine School of Law is $54,103 for California and $64,218 for out-of-state students. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.69 and the average LSAT score is 167. The acceptance rate of Irvine School of Law is 16.83% and the yield is 27.39%.
Los Angeles School of Law
Los Angeles School of Law (part of University of California-Los Angeles) is located in Los Angeles, CA, founded in 1949 and it has total 1,184 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Los Angeles School of Law is $53,920 for California and $64,426 for out-of-state students. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.82 and the average LSAT score is 170. The acceptance rate of Los Angeles School of Law is 15.43% and the yield is 28.33%.
Loyola Law School
Loyola Law School (part of Loyola Marymount University) is located in Los Angeles, CA, founded in 1920 and it has total 1,162 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Loyola Law School is $63,412. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.64 and the average LSAT score is 161. The acceptance rate of Loyola Law School is 29.36% and the yield is 28.43%.
McGeorge School of Law
McGeorge School of Law (part of University of the Pacific) is located in Sacramento, CA, founded in 1924 and it has total 655 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at McGeorge School of Law is $57,788. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.44 and the average LSAT score is 155. The acceptance rate of McGeorge School of Law is 53.61% and the yield is 30.50%.
Pepperdine University School of Law
Pepperdine University School of Law is located in Malibu, CA, founded in 1971 and it has total 1,241 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Pepperdine University School of Law is $64,220. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.80 and the average LSAT score is 164. The acceptance rate of Pepperdine University School of Law is 24.97% and the yield is 18.17%.
Santa Clara University School of Law
Santa Clara University School of Law is located in Santa Clara, CA, founded in 1912 and it has total 728 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Santa Clara University School of Law is $56,448. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.42 and the average LSAT score is 157. The acceptance rate of Santa Clara University School of Law is 53.34% and the yield is 17.64%.
Southwestern Law School
Southwestern Law School is located in Los Angeles, CA, founded in 1911 and it has total 957 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Southwestern Law School is $56,146. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.31 and the average LSAT score is 154. The acceptance rate of Southwestern Law School is 46.85% and the yield is 38.20%.
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is located in Stanford, CA, founded in 1893 and it has total 613 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Stanford Law School is $68,997. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.91 and the average LSAT score is 172. The acceptance rate of Stanford Law School is 6.28% and the yield is 45.10%.
University of San Diego School of Law
University of San Diego School of Law is located in San Diego, CA, founded in 1954 and it has total 824 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at University of San Diego School of Law is $60,861. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.70 and the average LSAT score is 161. The acceptance rate of University of San Diego School of Law is 31.02% and the yield is 22.37%.
University of San Francisco School of Law
University of San Francisco School of Law is located in San Francisco, CA, founded in 1912 and it has total 574 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at University of San Francisco School of Law is $52,660. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.33 and the average LSAT score is 155. The acceptance rate of University of San Francisco School of Law is 46.93% and the yield is 14.77%.
Western State College of Law
Western State College of Law is located in Irvine, CA, founded in 1966 and it has total 226 law school students. The 2023 law school tuition & fees at Western State College of Law is $44,580. The average GPA of the enrolled students is 3.11 and the average LSAT score is 150. The acceptance rate of Western State College of Law is 46.03% and the yield is 32.42%.
ABA-Accredited Law Schools in California Comparison Table
| School Name | Tuition & Fees | Acceptance Rate | Average GPA | Average LSAT | Total Enrollment | Enrollment (First-Year Students) | Bar Exam Pass Rate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley School of Law public, Berkeley, CA |
$67,781 ($59,237) |
13.66% | 3.83 | 169 | 1,235 | 343 | 96.67% |
| California Western School of Law private, San Diego, CA |
$58,350 | 56.05% | 3.26 | 153 | 780 | 238 | 65.33% |
| Chapman University School of Law private, Orange, CA |
$59,568 | 28.26% | 3.60 | 160 | 478 | 149 | 80.69% |
| Davis School of Law public, Davis, CA |
$65,094 ($53,093) |
28.26% | 3.70 | 165 | 731 | 260 | 88.15% |
| Golden Gate University-San Francisco School of Law private, San Francisco, CA |
$52,880 | 51.55% | 3.13 | 151 | 518 | 145 | 44.07% |
| Gould School of Law private, Los Angeles, CA |
$74,173 | 12.96% | 3.82 | 168 | 1,414 | 203 | 92.13% |
| Hastings College of the Law public, San Francisco, CA |
$52,454 ($46,034) |
28.04% | 3.52 | 160 | 1,124 | 384 | 85.02% |
| Irvine School of Law public, Irvine, CA |
$64,218 ($54,103) |
16.83% | 3.69 | 167 | 479 | 166 | 86.36% |
| Los Angeles School of Law public, Los Angeles, CA |
$64,426 ($53,920) |
15.43% | 3.82 | 170 | 1,184 | 347 | 96.55% |
| Loyola Law School private, Los Angeles, CA |
$63,412 | 29.36% | 3.64 | 161 | 1,162 | 346 | 88.16% |
| McGeorge School of Law private, Sacramento, CA |
$57,788 | 53.61% | 3.44 | 155 | 655 | 154 | 75.00% |
| Pepperdine University School of Law private, Malibu, CA |
$64,220 | 24.97% | 3.80 | 164 | 1,241 | 202 | 78.57% |
| Santa Clara University School of Law private, Santa Clara, CA |
$56,448 | 53.34% | 3.42 | 157 | 728 | 220 | 70.27% |
| Southwestern Law School private, Los Angeles, CA |
$56,146 | 46.85% | 3.31 | 154 | 957 | 366 | 82.50% |
| Stanford Law School private, Stanford, CA |
$68,997 | 6.28% | 3.91 | 172 | 613 | 161 | 98.22% |
| University of San Diego School of Law private, San Diego, CA |
$60,861 | 31.02% | 3.70 | 161 | 824 | 249 | 85.97% |
| University of San Francisco School of Law private, San Francisco, CA |
$52,660 | 46.93% | 3.33 | 155 | 574 | 148 | 77.78% |
| Western State College of Law private, Irvine, CA |
$44,580 | 46.03% | 3.11 | 150 | 226 | 107 | 51.69% |
*The pass rate is based on the first time bar exam takers.