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Reviewed by:
Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University
Reviewed: 2/6/24
If you’re interested in attending law school in California, read on to learn more about the best law schools in the state.
Often known as the sunshine or golden state, California is renowned for its ideal tropical climate, surfing, and beautiful beaches.
With several high-ranking law schools, California might also be the golden state for you to attend law school! With around 18 different accredited law schools, aspiring law students have a variety of options to choose from.
To narrow down your search, this guide will go over the ten best law schools in California, what makes them unique, and how to get into them!
Here are the top law schools in California:
Stanford’s law school ranks not only second in the nation but also first in California. This well-known school is known for its forward-thinking, boundary-breaking curriculum and immersive experiences that give students the best chance of having successful legal careers!Stanford has 11 immersive legal clinics that its students participate in full-time for around ten weeks to allow them to take ownership of their experience and get the most out of it:
To have a fair shot of getting into this school and participating in these clinics, students must be academically and personally accomplished. Students should aim to have a GPA of around 3.92 and an LSAT score of about 173 to be considered competitive.
As a prestigious law school, Stanford is on the higher end, with yearly tuition costs of $71,610.
The second-best law school in California is UC Berkeley. This school ranks ninth in the nation and first for the corporate law schools rankings, including environmental and intellectual property law. Additionally, it ranks second for criminal law!
UC Berkeley uniquely offers its students the chance to concentrate on one area of law during their JD:
Students can participate in various legal clinics, externships, competitions, moot courts, journals, and placements within these specialties.
While UC Berkeley has a more favorable acceptance rate than Stanford at around 10%, getting into it is still highly competitive! Admitted students have a median GPA of 3.83 and a median LSAT score of 170.
Tuition costs $59,306 annually for in-state students and $67,816 for out-of-state students.
UCLA is another excellent law school in California that promises its students cutting-edge resources and scholars, clinical opportunities, and diverse extracurricular activities. While UCLA Law ranks 14th in the nation, it is best known for its environmental law program, which ranks number one.
As a pioneer in environmental law, UCLA created one of the first law clinics in the country to focus on environmental issues. This clinic is called the Frank G. Wells Clinic and focuses on diverse topics relating to public interests and non-profit groups.
For environmental enthusiasts, UCLA’s environmental program will give you practical experience in this field of law on local, national, and global levels. This program will allow you to meet and work with leading experts in the field.
UCLA admits have a median GPA of 3.9 and a median LSAT score of 171. Their acceptance rate is 15.5%.
Prospective students can expect to pay around $56,455 for in-state tuition and $68,700 for out-of-state tuition.
With a 120-year reputation for academic excellence, the University of Southern California has a long history of producing exceptional lawyers through its innovative legal curriculum.
USC also has one of the most diverse student populations in the nation. Its dedication to diversity dates back to the early 1900s, being one of the first law schools to enroll women, students of color, ethnic minorities, and international scholars!
If you’d like to join this revolutionary school, you should aim to have a GPA of around 3.87 and an LSAT score of around 168. USC only accepts around 12.7% of students and has the highest tuition costs on this list! Full-time tuition costs $76,438 a year.
Although a relatively new law school, UCI has earned a reputation in legal education. Ranking fifth in the nation for its clinical training and fourth for its practical training, UCI will surely equip you with the right experience and skills to excel as an attorney!
Further proving their dedication to clinic training, students at UCI must take a core clinical course of their choice during their first year. They can join elective core clinicals during their second and third years, allowing them to practice theory continuously throughout their JD.
UCI is strongly committed to public service, with its students completing approximately 125,000 hours of pro bono work at their legal clinics to date!
Those admitted make up only 18.2% of this clinical-centered school. Of this percentage, students typically have a GPA of around 3.72 and an LSAT score of around 167.
Attending UCI costs $61,463.97 for in-state students and $73,708.97 for out-of-state students.
Located in Malibu, Pepperdine University offers its students a great legal education and a scenic campus!
Pepperdine is associated with the Church of Christ and involves Christian values in every aspect of its legal curriculums.
Many of these Christian values revolve around morals and ethics, best exemplified in Pepperdine’s pro bono programs, where students can travel nationally and internationally to help various disadvantaged populations.
One popular pro bono program is the justice bus trip, where students provide free clinical aid to vulnerable populations living in rural and isolated parts of California.
This experience allows students to practice what they learn in the classroom. It also gives them a strong sense of fulfillment, knowing they’re serving and advocating for those who might not have access to proper legal aid.
Pepperdine accepts only 32.6% of all its applicants and expects them to have GPAs of around 3.85 and LSAT scores of around 164. Students can also expect to pay approximately $63,660 yearly tuition at Pepperdine.
Another great school in California is Loyola Marymount. Located in downtown L.A., this university is ideal for aspiring lawyers due to its proximity to courthouses, big law firms, and other legal institutions.
Uniquely, since L.A. is also known as a powerhouse for media entertainment, Loyola Marymount offers its students an entertainment law practicum where they have the opportunity to work with entertainment giants like Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros.
Loyola also emphasizes the importance of pro bono work. It is the first law school in California to have a pro bono graduation requirement.
Students contribute over 40,000 hours annually to these projects and have impressively helped get five wrongly convicted individuals out of prison and off death row!
If the thought of significantly impacting those you serve interests you, know that you’ll need an impressive application to gain admission to this school! With an acceptance rate of 34.4%, a median GPA of 3.69, and a median LSAT score of 161, students must prove their academic potential to be considered competitive applicants.
Loyola is another one of California's top-ranked law schools that offers a part-time program. This program costs a fraction of their full-time program: their part-time program costs $42,436 a year, whereas their full-time one costs $63,412.
UC Hastings is another long-standing law school. Since its establishment in 1878, it has dedicated itself to producing stellar attorneys by providing its students with the best legal resources and opportunities.
Along with this dedication to excellence, UC Hastings emphasizes creating more culturally aware lawyers who can serve diverse populations. UC Hastings has a proven track record of upholding this mission, with graduates such as Kamala Harris, the first female vice president!
Additionally, UC Hastings has an Indigenous Law Center, a Center for East Asian Legal Studies, a Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, a Center for Racial and Economic Justice, and a Center for Race, Immigration, Citizenship, and Equality.
To become part of this progressive school, you should aim to have a GPA of around 3.59 and an LSAT score of around 160. UC Hastings has an acceptance rate of 43% and tuition costs of $46,034 for in-state students and $52,454 for out-of-state students.
As one of the top schools in California, UC Davis has a rigorous legal education. Located near Sacramento and the Bay Area, UC Davis is a prime location for students to gain legal experience and find summer and post-grad employment!
UC Davis prioritizes their students’ success by creating a supportive environment throughout their legal education. UC Davis has small classrooms to ensure students make meaningful connections with their faculty and peers.
With an acceptance rate of 25.2%, UC Davis is moderately competitive. Past admitted students had a median GPA of 3.7 and a median LSAT score of 165.
UC Davis’ tuition costs fall in the same price range as the others on this list, with in-state tuition costing $54,919 a year and out-of-state tuition costing $67,164.
The University of San Diego is one of California’s best full-time and part-time law schools.
This part-time program might be the perfect fit for students juggling multiple obligations! USD’s part-time program only takes one more year to complete but allows students the flexibility and time to complete the same curriculum as full-time students.
USD offers all of its JD students clinical experience working with low-income clients and various local and global field placements.
As one of the least competitive schools on this list, USD has an acceptance rate of 40.5%. While this is the case, USD holds its students to high standards. USD’s median GPA is 3.74, and its median LSAT score is 161.
Full-time tuition costs $60,861 a year, while part-time tuition costs $45,091.
As the state with the most difficult bar exams, many students wonder about applying to California law schools. Below, we try to tackle these questions in greater detail.
The best law school in California is Stanford University. It is also the second-best in the country.
There are 18 accredited law schools in California.
Below is a list of California law schools with part-time programs:
These California law schools might be your best bet if you hope to get a more flexible law education.
Stanford University is the most challenging law school in California to get into. It has a low acceptance rate of 6.9% and high admission requirements, with a median GPA of 3.92 and a median LSAT score of 173.
UC Berkeley and UCLA are the most prestigious schools for environmental law.
Aside from the great weather, California offers rigorous legal programs and great employment opportunities as it’s a central hub for economics, entertainment, and law.
If you’re interested in the entertainment industry, there is no better place to get your foot in the door than Loyola Marymount. Loyola offers law students placement opportunities with some of the most prominent Hollywood industries.
The average California law school tuition is $60,327 for state residents and $63,444 for out-of-state students. Although this is high, scholarships and financial aid are available to those who need it.
The easiest law schools to get into in California is Golden Gate University and the California Western School of Law. Golden Gate University’s acceptance rate is 25.5%, and the median LSAT score is 154.
Whether you’re on the fence about attending law school in California or are certain that the Sunshine State is the perfect place to get your JD, you’ll rest assured knowing that California is home to several outstanding law schools.
Any one of the law schools listed here can provide you with the right education and resources to have a golden legal career!
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