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California Western School of Law vs CUNY

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

  • California Western places more graduates in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 4.9% of the Class of 2025, against 1.0% at CUNY.
  • CUNY costs about $66K less over three years after the average scholarship: $167K against $234K.
  • CUNY is harder to get into: a 155 median LSAT and a 28.6% acceptance rate, against 155 and 46.9% at California Western.
  • California Western has the higher first time bar pass rate: 71.4% against 69.0%.
California Western
vs
CUNY

Where graduates go

California Western leads 4 of 5

✓4.9%
BigLaw + federal clerkships
1.0%
✓3.4%
BigLaw (501+ attorney firms)
1.0%
✓1.5%
Federal clerkships
0.0%
81.5%
Graduates employed
✓83.3%
✓71.4%
First time bar passage
69.0%

What it costs

California Western leads 3 of 4

$234K
Three year net cost
✓$167K
✓60%
Students receiving a scholarship
17%
✓$37,440/yr
Median scholarship (recipients)
$8,000/yr
✓$21,354/yr
Average scholarship (all students)
$1,254/yr

Who gets in

Acceptance rate: California Western 46.9% · CUNY 28.6%

LSAT

Bars run from the 25th to the 75th percentile, with the median marked.

California Western
152155158
CUNY
152155161
150152154156158160162164

GPA

Undergraduate GPA of the entering class, same scale for both schools.

California Western
3.163.503.66
CUNY
3.263.543.77
3.103.203.303.403.503.603.703.80

Frequently asked questions

Is California Western or CUNY better for BigLaw?
California Western placed more of its Class of 2025 in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 4.9% against 1.0%. By BigLaw alone (firms of 501+ attorneys), California Western placed 3.4% and CUNY placed 1.0%. Federal clerkships were 1.5% at California Western and 0.0% at CUNY.
Which is harder to get into, California Western or CUNY?
California Western's Fall 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 155 and a median GPA of 3.50, with a 46.9% acceptance rate. CUNY's had 155 and 3.54, with 28.6%. Add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances at both.
Which costs less, California Western or CUNY?
After the average scholarship, three years cost about $234K at California Western and $167K at CUNY, 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, California Western or CUNY?
60% of California Western students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $37,440 a year among recipients. 17% of CUNY students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $8,000 a year among recipients.
Which has the better bar passage rate?
71.4% of California Western's first time takers passed in 2025, against 69.0% at CUNY. Each school's profile shows how that compares with the states where its graduates sat.
Should I choose California Western or CUNY?
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.

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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

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