Best Law Schools in Los Angeles
4 ABA law schools call Los Angeles home, ranked below by selectivity (Fall 2025 median LSAT). Where you go to law school shapes where you start your career: local alumni networks, clinics, and bar exam logistics all tilt local. Medians from ABA Standard 509 disclosures via ILRG, Fall 2025 entering class.
| School | Rank | Median LSAT | Median GPA | Est. annual tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, Los Angeles | #13 | 171 | 3.95 | $59,084 |
| University of Southern California | #23 | 169 | 3.91 | $84,034 |
| Loyola Law School | #62 | 163 | 3.74 | $70,360 |
| Southwestern University | #109 | 157 | 3.51 | $63,160 |
How to judge the Los Angeles market
- Bar exam logistics. You will likely take the bar where you study, at least at first. Make sure you want to start your career in CA.
- Alumni concentration. Ask each school where its recent graduates actually work. Local hiring partners recruit deepest at local schools.
- Cost vs. selectivity. The cheapest sticker here is University of California, Los Angeles at about $59,084 a year. Weigh that against each school's selectivity and your aid prospects.
- Employment outcomes. We do not publish local employment data, so read each school's ABA-required employment summary: look for full-time, bar-passage-required jobs in the market you want.
What LSAT do you need here?
The most selective school in Los Angeles reports a median LSAT of 171. Score at or above a school's median and you are competitive there; 1 to 3 points below is reach territory. What LSAT for University of California, Los Angeles · What LSAT for University of Southern California · What LSAT for Loyola Law School · What LSAT for Southwestern University
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Medians from ABA Standard 509 disclosures via ILRG, Fall 2025 entering class. Tuition is the 2025-2026 sticker price. All cost figures are estimates, not guarantees.
Last updated October 12, 2026