American University vs Chapman University
Where graduates end up, what each school really costs, and who gets in, side by side from each school's official ABA data. Add your LSAT and GPA to see your chances and scholarship estimates at both.
VS
Add your numbersSee your admission chances and scholarship estimates at both schools.
The short version
- =About the same placement. 13.3% of American's Class of 2025 and 13.8% of Chapman's went to BigLaw or federal clerkships.
- Chapman costs about $11K less over three years after the average scholarship: $231K against $242K.
- Chapman is harder to get into: a 163 median LSAT and a 20.5% acceptance rate, against 162 and 33.3% at American.
- American has the higher first time bar pass rate: 86.6% against 80.3%.
American
vs
Chapman
Where graduates go
Chapman leads 3 of 5
13.3%
BigLaw + federal clerkships
✓13.8%
✓12.3%
BigLaw (501+ attorney firms)
10.0%
1.0%
Federal clerkships
✓3.8%
86.2%
Graduates employed
✓86.9%
✓86.6%
First time bar passage
80.3%
What it costs
Chapman leads 3 of 4
$242K
Three year net cost
✓$231K
✓59%
Students receiving a scholarship
59%
$40,000/yr
Median scholarship (recipients)
✓$59,500/yr
$22,281/yr
Average scholarship (all students)
✓$27,953/yr
Who gets in
Acceptance rate: American 33.3% · Chapman 20.5%
LSAT
Bars run from the 25th to the 75th percentile, with the median marked.
American
157162163
Chapman
156163164
154156158160162164166
GPA
Undergraduate GPA of the entering class, same scale for both schools.
American
3.323.633.75
Chapman
3.323.703.82
3.253.353.453.553.653.753.85
American University
Chapman University
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Frequently asked questions
Is American or Chapman better for BigLaw?
Chapman placed more of its Class of 2025 in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 13.8% against 13.3%. By BigLaw alone (firms of 501+ attorneys), American placed 12.3% and Chapman placed 10.0%. Federal clerkships were 1.0% at American and 3.8% at Chapman.
Which is harder to get into, American or Chapman?
American's Fall 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 162 and a median GPA of 3.63, with a 33.3% acceptance rate. Chapman's had 163 and 3.70, with 20.5%. Add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances at both.
Which costs less, American or Chapman?
After the average scholarship, three years cost about $242K at American and $231K at Chapman, including living costs. Public schools are shown at out of state tuition. Your own scholarship can move these numbers a lot, so add your numbers above for an estimate.
Which gives more scholarship money, American or Chapman?
59% of American students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $40,000 a year among recipients. 59% of Chapman students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $59,500 a year among recipients.
Which has the better bar passage rate?
86.6% of American's first time takers passed in 2025, against 80.3% at Chapman. Each school's profile shows how that compares with the states where its graduates sat.
Should I choose American or Chapman?
It depends on your goals, your odds and your offers. Compare where each school's graduates end up, then add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances and scholarships at both. Your scholarship offer usually changes the cost more than anything else.
What a higher LSAT changes
Move the LSAT slider in the admissions calculator to watch your odds and scholarship estimates change at every school.
Figures come from each school’s official ABA disclosures. Admission chances and scholarship estimates are modeled from that data and are not predictions of any individual decision. Our data and methodology