Top Schools of Law in California

By | January 6, 2023

We have created a 2019 ranking of the best colleges in California that offer Law degrees to help you find a school that fits your needs. Each school’s ranking is based on the compilation of our data from reliable government sources, student surveys, college graduate interviews, and editorial review. In addition, you can view our entire list of all law schools located within California. We also provide reviews, facts, and questions and answers for schools on our site and offer you access to get valuable information from colleges and universities today.

  • Countryaah.com: Comprehensive list of all airports in California including airport names, abbreviations and acronyms for each airport, city location and airport size, as well as official map of California.
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See below for best law programs in California or Countryaah for listing of all cities.

  • Berkeley, CA
  • Costa Mesa, CA
  • Davis, CA
  • Fullerton, CA
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • Malibu, CA
  • Ontario, CA
  • Orange, CA
  • Sacramento, CA
  • San Diego, CA
  • San Francisco, CA
  • Santa Clara, CA
  • Stanford, CA
California Western School of Law San Diego, California
Score N/A
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 1.8
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 2.1
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.04-3.5
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 150-155
Overall acceptance rate 46.1%
Student/faculty ratio 18.3
Graduates employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 84.0%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 84.2%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

California Western School of Law

Chapman University School of Law Orange, California
Score 43
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 1.9
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 2.3
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.11-3.56
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 156-159
Overall acceptance rate 30.9%
Student/faculty ratio 8.9
Graduates employed at graduation 91.1%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 96.5%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 75.4%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

Chapman University School of Law

Golden Gate University School of Law San Francisco, California
Score N/A
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 1.7
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 2.1
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 2.84-3.39
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 151-155
Overall acceptance rate 49.5%
Student/faculty ratio 15.2
Graduates employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 90.3%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 71.6%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

Golden Gate University School of Law

Loyola Marymount University Law School Los Angeles, California
Score 51
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 2.6
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 2.8
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.31-3.67
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 157-163
Overall acceptance rate 32.4%
Student/faculty ratio 14.8
Graduates employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 97.4%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 85.5%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

Loyola Marymount University Law School

Pepperdine University School of Law Malibu, California
Score 53
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 2.5
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 3.1
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.43-3.79
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 160-163
Overall acceptance rate 26.9%
Student/faculty ratio 16.0
Graduates employed at graduation 75.5%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 96.5%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 87.2%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

Pepperdine University School of Law

Santa Clara University School of Law Santa Clara, California
Score 43
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 2.5
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 2.9
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.03-3.59
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 157-161
Overall acceptance rate 42.7%
Student/faculty ratio 17.8
Graduates employed at graduation 79.4%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 92.6%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 78.5%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

Santa Clara University School of Law

Southwestern Law School Los Angeles, California
Score N/A
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 2.0
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 1.8
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.06-3.51
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 152-156
Overall acceptance rate 31.6%
Student/faculty ratio 14.3
Graduates employed at graduation 85.0%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 95.5%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 69.7%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

Southwestern Law School

Stanford University Law School Stanford, California
Score 93
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 4.7
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 4.8
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.77-3.97
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 167-172
Overall acceptance rate 9.1%
Student/faculty ratio 8.0
Graduates employed at graduation 98.3%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 98.4%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 96.2%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

Stanford University Law School

Thomas Jefferson School of Law San Diego, California
Score N/A
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 1.6
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 1.9
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 2.7-3.19
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 148-153
Overall acceptance rate 51.5%
Student/faculty ratio 17.9
Graduates employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 92.1%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.3%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

Thomas Jefferson School of Law

University of California Hastings College of the Law San Francisco, California
Score 59
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 3.3
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 3.7
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.39-3.71
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 161-165
Overall acceptance rate 23.6%
Student/faculty ratio 16.5
Graduates employed at graduation 69.8%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 92.7%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 80.4%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

University of California Hastings College of the Law

University of California–Berkeley School of Law Berkeley, California
Score 85
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 4.5
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 4.4
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.68-3.95
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 165-170
Overall acceptance rate 10.1%
Student/faculty ratio 11.4
Graduates employed at graduation 96.6%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 98.6%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 87.7%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

University of California--Berkeley School of Law

University of California–Davis School of Law Davis, California
Score 63
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 3.4
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 3.5
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.23-3.72
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 160-165
Overall acceptance rate 32.2%
Student/faculty ratio 11.6
Graduates employed at graduation 97.3%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 98.1%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 79.9%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

University of California--Davis School of Law

University of California–Los Angeles School of Law Los Angeles, California
Score 76
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 4.0
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 3.8
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.57-3.88
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 164-169
Overall acceptance rate 16.8%
Student/faculty ratio 11.3
Graduates employed at graduation 96.9%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 99.1%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 88.5%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

University of California--Los Angeles School of Law

University of La Verne College of Law Ontario, California
Score N/A
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) N/A
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) N/A
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 2.74-3.3
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 149-153
Overall acceptance rate 39.1%
Student/faculty ratio 16.2
Graduates employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation N/A
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers N/A
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar N/A
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers N/A

University of La Verne College of Law

University of San Diego School of Law San Diego, California
Score 51
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 2.9
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 2.9
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.22-3.59
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 158-162
Overall acceptance rate 34.2%
Student/faculty ratio 14.2
Graduates employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 98.4%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 78.9%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

University of San Diego School of Law

University of San Francisco School of Law San Francisco, California
Score 42
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 2.1
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 2.8
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.12-3.57
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 155-160
Overall acceptance rate 34.9%
Student/faculty ratio 15.2
Graduates employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 93.0%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 86.0%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

University of San Francisco School of Law

University of Southern California Gould School of Law Los Angeles, California
Score N/A
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 2.3
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 2.7
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.14-3.7
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 156-160
Overall acceptance rate 37.0%
Student/faculty ratio 14.8
Graduates employed at graduation 56.1%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 91.2%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 91.0%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar SC
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 81.8%

University of Southern California Gould School of Law

University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law Sacramento, California
Score 71
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 3.7
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 3.5
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.47-3.71
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 165-167
Overall acceptance rate 21.9%
Student/faculty ratio 12.4
Graduates employed at graduation 91.9%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 97.1%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 89.6%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law

Western State University College of Law Fullerton, California
Score N/A
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 1.3
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 1.7
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 2.81-3.38
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 149-154
Overall acceptance rate 48.6%
Student/faculty ratio 22.6
Graduates employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 70.8%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 64.9%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

Western State University College of Law

Whittier Law School Costa Mesa, California
Score N/A
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 1.4
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 2.1
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 2.83-3.35
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 149-153
Overall acceptance rate 41.2%
Student/faculty ratio 17.6
Graduates employed at graduation 51.3%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 96.4%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 82.6%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 70.7%

Whittier Law School

About California

California has always been a dream country. Many immigrants were drawn to the Pacific state during the California gold rush and they dreamed of great wealth, which of course only a few succeeded. Nevertheless, California rightly bears the name “Golden State” because the mild and pleasant climate, the liberal and open attitude of its residents and the beautiful landscapes make this state stand out.

California in profile

  • Area: 423,970 sq km
  • Population: 37,253,956
  • Abbreviation: CA
  • Capital: Sacramento
  • Local time: GMT -7
  • Nickname: The Golden State

Everyone is looking for their paradise on earth and if they have found it, they may call “Eureka!”, In German “I found it!”. In any case, that is the state slogan of this U.S. state, which attracts so many people that it is now the most populous of all states in the USA. Only Alaska and Texas are larger in area.

The American Way of Life is most likely to be found in California. And so many success stories from dishwasher to millionaire, not only in the Hollywood dream factory, have found their way into reality here. The Malibu beach, the nice girls on the beach and the beach boys and surfing – all this is typical California. However, California is one of the most expensive U.S. states in terms of the cost of living and the cost of real estate, and taxes are also relatively high here. It is therefore not surprising that in times of recession many people leave the state and migrate to Idaho, Oregon or Nevada.

California borders Oregon to the north, Nevada to the west, and Arizona to the southeast. In the south, California shares a state border with Mexico, since the Baja California peninsula belongs to Mexico. Accordingly, southern California is strongly influenced by Latin American and Mexican, and in some places Spanish is more widespread than American English.

Liberal outlook on life and popular destination for immigrants

Almost a third of Californians speak Spanish as their first mother tongue, but English has been the official language since 1986. In addition, many other languages ​​are spoken in the popular immigration area, including numerous Asian but also Indian languages.

Almost most Californians are of European descent, mostly immigrated from Germany, Ireland, Great Britain and Italy. A large proportion of the numerous Hispanics are of Mexican descent, and the Asians also form a relatively large ethnic group. African Americans follow at a distance from Indians and Hawaiians.

The main religions are Protestants (Baptists, Presbyterians and Methodists) and Catholics, plus Jews, Mormons, Muslims and followers of Asian religions such as Buddhists and Hindus.

Perhaps the colorful mix of the population is the reason for the liberal attitude in California. For some years now, the state has been a support for the Democratic Party in presidential elections. Metropolises such as Los Angeles and San Francisco in particular are considered the most liberal places in the United States. However, the Republicans also have their strongholds, such as the more rural regions in northeastern California.

California is geographically known to be an earthquake prone area. This is where the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate (San Andreas Fault) meet, which repeatedly causes tectonic friction and earthquakes. One of the most famous quakes of this type, with a magnitude of 7.8, destroyed San Francisco on April 18, 1906.

Both San Francisco and Los Angeles are considered earthquake-prone, and for many it is only a matter of time before the next big earthquake (Big One) in California. The landscapes of California are very diverse, fog is typical of the coastal region, which usually disappears from noon. In addition there are mountain landscapes (the highest point is the 4,418 m high Mount Whitney), deserts (Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert) and valleys with a Mediterranean climate and vineyards. In Death Valley, on the other hand, Badwater is the deepest point in the USA at 85.5 m below sea level.

Due to the mild climate, numerous fruits thrive in California such as avocado, oranges and lemons. It’s cooler on the coast than in the interior of the state. The northern Pacific coast is partly rainy. Winters don’t get cold on the coast, inland, especially in the mountains (Sierra Nevada), there is plenty of snow.

The largest cities in California are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno and the capital, Sacramento.

Historically, California, like the neighboring states of Mexico, belonged to Mexico, and in 1846 the Mexican-American War broke out, which was ended in 1848 by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and resulted in massive cession of territory (including California, Arizona and New Mexico) from Mexico to the United States. The population in the new areas grew especially during the gold rush. California was declared the 31st state of the United States on September 9, 1850.

To date, agriculture (cotton, cereals, corn, rice and citrus fruits) and wine growing have played an important role in California. California is by far the most important wine-growing region in the USA. There is also cattle breeding, fishing and the extraction of mineral resources such as oil, natural gas, mercury and gold). Silicon Valley is known as an important location for the IT industry. Mechanical engineering, aerospace and the film industry are also noteworthy, as is tourism, of course.