Arizona State University vs Pepperdine 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
- Arizona State places more graduates in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 16.6% of the Class of 2025, against 13.1% at Pepperdine.
- Arizona State costs about $34K less over three years after the average scholarship: $200K against $234K, and more of its students get a scholarship (96% vs 77%).
- Arizona State is harder to get into: a 165 median LSAT and a 19.8% acceptance rate, against 164 and 23.4% at Pepperdine.
- Arizona State has the higher first time bar pass rate: 91.9% against 90.7%.
Arizona State
vs
Pepperdine
Where graduates go
Arizona State leads 5 of 5
✓16.6%
BigLaw + federal clerkships
13.1%
✓14.5%
BigLaw (501+ attorney firms)
12.0%
✓2.1%
Federal clerkships
1.1%
✓93.8%
Graduates employed
93.4%
✓91.9%
First time bar passage
90.7%
What it costs
Even, 2 each
✓$200K
Three year net cost
$234K
✓96%
Students receiving a scholarship
77%
$20,000/yr
Median scholarship (recipients)
✓$30,000/yr
$20,083/yr
Average scholarship (all students)
✓$29,242/yr
Who gets in
Acceptance rate: Arizona State 19.8% · Pepperdine 23.4%
LSAT
Bars run from the 25th to the 75th percentile, with the median marked.
Arizona State
158165167
Pepperdine
161164167
156158160162164166168170
GPA
Undergraduate GPA of the entering class, same scale for both schools.
Arizona State
3.583.913.98
Pepperdine
3.613.853.94
3.503.603.703.803.904.00
Arizona State University
Pepperdine University
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Frequently asked questions
Is Arizona State or Pepperdine better for BigLaw?
Arizona State placed more of its Class of 2025 in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 16.6% against 13.1%. By BigLaw alone (firms of 501+ attorneys), Arizona State placed 14.5% and Pepperdine placed 12.0%. Federal clerkships were 2.1% at Arizona State and 1.1% at Pepperdine.
Which is harder to get into, Arizona State or Pepperdine?
Arizona State's Fall 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 165 and a median GPA of 3.91, with a 19.8% acceptance rate. Pepperdine's had 164 and 3.85, with 23.4%. Add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances at both.
Which costs less, Arizona State or Pepperdine?
After the average scholarship, three years cost about $200K at Arizona State and $234K at Pepperdine, 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, Arizona State or Pepperdine?
96% of Arizona State students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $20,000 a year among recipients. 77% of Pepperdine students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $30,000 a year among recipients.
Which has the better bar passage rate?
91.9% of Arizona State's first time takers passed in 2025, against 90.7% at Pepperdine. Each school's profile shows how that compares with the states where its graduates sat.
Should I choose Arizona State or Pepperdine?
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