University of Southern California vs Vanderbilt 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
- Southern California places more graduates in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 62.1% of the Class of 2025, against 57.7% at Vanderbilt.
- Southern California costs about $16K less over three years after the average scholarship: $239K against $254K, and more of its students get a scholarship (95% vs 90%).
- Vanderbilt is harder to get into: a 170 median LSAT and a 13.3% acceptance rate, against 169 and 11.2% at Southern California.
Southern California
vs
Vanderbilt
Where graduates go
Vanderbilt leads 3 of 5
✓62.1%
BigLaw + federal clerkships
57.7%
✓58.6%
BigLaw (501+ attorney firms)
46.4%
3.5%
Federal clerkships
✓11.3%
97.4%
Graduates employed
✓99.4%
94.1%
First time bar passage
✓94.6%
What it costs
Southern California leads 4 of 4
✓$239K
Three year net cost
$254K
✓95%
Students receiving a scholarship
90%
✓$40,092/yr
Median scholarship (recipients)
$32,792/yr
✓$38,654/yr
Average scholarship (all students)
$28,910/yr
Who gets in
Acceptance rate: Southern California 11.2% · Vanderbilt 13.3%
LSAT
Bars run from the 25th to the 75th percentile, with the median marked.
Southern California
165169170
Vanderbilt
167170171
162164166168170172174
GPA
Undergraduate GPA of the entering class, same scale for both schools.
Southern California
3.733.913.97
Vanderbilt
3.773.913.97
3.653.753.853.954.05
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt University
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Frequently asked questions
Is Southern California or Vanderbilt better for BigLaw?
Southern California placed more of its Class of 2025 in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 62.1% against 57.7%. By BigLaw alone (firms of 501+ attorneys), Southern California placed 58.6% and Vanderbilt placed 46.4%. Federal clerkships were 3.5% at Southern California and 11.3% at Vanderbilt.
Which is harder to get into, Southern California or Vanderbilt?
Southern California's Fall 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 169 and a median GPA of 3.91, with a 11.2% acceptance rate. Vanderbilt's had 170 and 3.91, with 13.3%. Add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances at both.
Which costs less, Southern California or Vanderbilt?
After the average scholarship, three years cost about $239K at Southern California and $254K at Vanderbilt, 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, Southern California or Vanderbilt?
95% of Southern California students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $40,092 a year among recipients. 90% of Vanderbilt students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $32,792 a year among recipients.
Which has the better bar passage rate?
94.1% of Southern California's first time takers passed in 2025, against 94.6% at Vanderbilt. Each school's profile shows how that compares with the states where its graduates sat.
Should I choose Southern California or Vanderbilt?
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