UCLA School of Law is consistently ranked among the top 15–18 law schools in the country. It offers exceptional value for California residents, strong placement in California’s legal market, and competitive outcomes in BigLaw, public interest, and entertainment law. For applicants targeting top law schools on the West Coast, UCLA is a central benchmark.
This guide covers UCLA Law’s LSAT requirements, GPA medians, acceptance rate, and how to build a competitive application.
See where your score stands with the free LSAT Score Calculator.
Quick answer: UCLA Law’s median LSAT is 171, with a 25th percentile of 166 and a 75th percentile of 172. Its median GPA is 3.95. A 171 is about the 96th percentile among all test takers. These are the 2025 ABA 509 numbers.
UCLA Law LSAT Score and GPA Data
| Metric | 2025 Value |
|---|---|
| 25th Percentile LSAT | 166 |
| Median LSAT | 171 |
| 75th Percentile LSAT | 172 |
| 25th Percentile GPA | 3.73 |
| Median GPA | 3.95 |
| 75th Percentile GPA | 4.00 |
| First-Year Class Size | 328 |
| Acceptance Rate (2025) | 12% |
| Applications (2025) | 8,623 |
| Offers (2025) | 1,039 |
Most admitted students here scored 166 to 172. If you are below the 171 median, a 170+ scoring Odyssey tutor can build your plan around your weak spots.
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What are your odds at UCLA Law? Enter your LSAT and GPA in the law school admissions calculator, or check merit money with the scholarship calculator.
UCLA Law Acceptance Rate
UCLA Law’s acceptance rate was 12% for fall 2025. It made 1,039 offers from 8,623 applications, and 322 of those admitted students enrolled. That is below the 36.1% average, and it ranks 12th lowest of the 194 ABA schools with data. See all law school acceptance rates.
What LSAT Score Do You Need for UCLA Law?
- 172 or higher – Your LSAT is a clear strength and may support scholarship leverage.
- 171 to 172 – You are in a strong competitive range if your GPA and application materials are solid.
- 166 to 171 – You are plausible but below the median. The rest of your application matters more.
- Below 166 – Treat UCLA Law as a reach unless your GPA or background is exceptional.
Half of the entering class scored between 166 and 172. In GPA, the middle half ran from 3.73 to 4.00. If your GPA is below 3.95, aim above the median LSAT. Find your real number with the LSAC GPA calculator.
How UCLA Law Compares
| Law school | 25th | Median | 75th | Median GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Law | 169 | 171 | 172 | 3.91 |
| Georgetown Law | 166 | 171 | 173 | 3.93 |
| Michigan Law | 168 | 171 | 173 | 3.88 |
| UCLA Law | 166 | 171 | 172 | 3.95 |
| University of Minnesota Law | 166 | 171 | 173 | 3.88 |
| BYU Law | 168 | 170 | 172 | 3.95 |
Should You Retake for UCLA Law?
If your current score is below 166, a retake is usually worth considering. If you are near 171, the decision depends on your GPA, timing, scholarship goals, and practice-test trend. Read should I retake the LSAT.
UCLA Law Career Outcomes
UCLA Law places graduates into:
- BigLaw: Approximately 50–55% of UCLA graduates enter large law firms, with particularly strong placement in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.
- Entertainment and media law: UCLA’s Los Angeles location makes it the top law school for graduates pursuing entertainment, IP, and media law careers. This is a distinctive advantage over East Coast T14 schools.
- Public interest: UCLA has a strong public interest culture and robust LRAP for graduates entering qualifying public service roles.
- Government: Strong placement in California state government and federal agencies, particularly those with California offices.
- Judicial clerkships: UCLA places a meaningful number of graduates into federal clerkships, especially in the Ninth Circuit.
Is UCLA a Public or Private School — and Does Tuition Matter?
UCLA Law is a public law school. For California residents, the tuition is significantly lower than most peer private law schools — making it exceptional value for in-state students. Out-of-state tuition is still competitive with T14 private schools but slightly lower.
The cost difference between UCLA (in-state) and a private T14 school can be $60,000–$80,000 over three years. For graduates entering public interest or government work — where salaries are lower — this distinction is financially significant.
UCLA Law LSAT FAQ
What LSAT score do you need for UCLA Law?
The median is 171. Aim for 171 or higher, and 172 or higher for your best scholarship odds.
What GPA do you need for UCLA Law?
The median GPA is 3.95, and the middle half of the class ran from 3.73 to 4.00.
How big is the class at UCLA Law?
The 2025 first-year class had 328 students.
The Bottom Line
For UCLA Law, aim for at least 166 to be inside the enrolled-student range, 171 to be competitive, and 172+ to make your LSAT a strength. See the top 100 law school LSAT chart.