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University of California, Davis vs University of Washington

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

  • UC Davis places more graduates in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 23.5% of the Class of 2025, against 16.9% at Washington.
  • Washington costs about $6K less over three years after the average scholarship: $235K against $241K.
  • UC Davis is harder to get into: a 165 median LSAT and a 16.0% acceptance rate, against 165 and 19.6% at Washington.
UC Davis
vs
Washington

Where graduates go

UC Davis leads 4 of 5

✓23.5%
BigLaw + federal clerkships
16.9%
✓22.1%
BigLaw (501+ attorney firms)
15.3%
1.5%
Federal clerkships
✓1.7%
✓96.1%
Graduates employed
91.0%
✓93.2%
First time bar passage
92.6%

What it costs

UC Davis leads 3 of 4

$241K
Three year net cost
✓$235K
✓99%
Students receiving a scholarship
70%
✓$25,000/yr
Median scholarship (recipients)
$14,000/yr
✓$24,896/yr
Average scholarship (all students)
$9,615/yr

Who gets in

Acceptance rate: UC Davis 16.0% · Washington 19.6%

LSAT

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

UC Davis
160165167
Washington
162165167
158160162164166168170

GPA

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

UC Davis
3.493.703.87
Washington
3.603.763.86
3.403.503.603.703.803.90

Frequently asked questions

Is UC Davis or Washington better for BigLaw?
UC Davis placed more of its Class of 2025 in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 23.5% against 16.9%. By BigLaw alone (firms of 501+ attorneys), UC Davis placed 22.1% and Washington placed 15.3%. Federal clerkships were 1.5% at UC Davis and 1.7% at Washington.
Which is harder to get into, UC Davis or Washington?
UC Davis's Fall 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 165 and a median GPA of 3.70, with a 16.0% acceptance rate. Washington's had 165 and 3.76, with 19.6%. Add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances at both.
Which costs less, UC Davis or Washington?
After the average scholarship, three years cost about $241K at UC Davis and $235K at Washington, 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, UC Davis or Washington?
99% of UC Davis students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $25,000 a year among recipients. 70% of Washington students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $14,000 a year among recipients.
Which has the better bar passage rate?
93.2% of UC Davis's first time takers passed in 2025, against 92.6% at Washington. Each school's profile shows how that compares with the states where its graduates sat.
Should I choose UC Davis or Washington?
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

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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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