UC Berkeley School of Law: Profile, Admissions & Rankings

Berkeley Law is where top-14 prestige meets a public mission. Founded in 1894, it trains lawyers who go to the largest firms in the country and to public-interest organizations in roughly equal measure.

This profile covers what Berkeley Law is, how selective it is, what it costs, what it is known for, its bar and employment outcomes, its rankings, and how it compares with its California rivals. Applicants weighing West Coast law schools will find the verified numbers they need.

What Is the UC Berkeley School of Law?

The UC Berkeley School of Law is the public, ABA-accredited law school of the University of California, Berkeley. Founded in 1894, it is one of the top-ranked law schools in the country and the highest-ranked public law school on the West Coast. It offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D., and Ph.D. degrees.

Berkeley Law sits on the UC Berkeley campus in the Bay Area. Its location places students 30 minutes from San Francisco, one of the world’s largest markets for technology, intellectual property, and corporate law, and inside a region with deep public-interest and environmental networks.

The school was long known as Boalt Hall. Berkeley retired that name in 2020, and the school is now referred to simply as Berkeley Law. The change reflected the university’s review of the name’s historical associations.

Berkeley Law is a research powerhouse with a public identity. It combines the resources of a flagship public research university with a faculty known for scholarship in technology, environmental, and constitutional law. Compare it with other law schools in California.

The student body is larger than most T14 peers. Berkeley enrolls a first-year class of roughly 374 students, which supports a wide course catalog, many clinics, and a deep alumni network across California and beyond.

How Hard Is It to Get Into Berkeley Law?

Berkeley Law is highly selective, with an acceptance rate of about 14.8 percent. The Fall 2025 entering class posted a median LSAT of 170 and a median undergraduate GPA of 3.92. Berkeley Law received 6,562 applications and admitted 974 students, enrolling a first-year class of about 374.

Berkeley Law admits fewer than 1 in 6 applicants. Its numbers place it firmly among the most competitive law schools in the country, alongside the rest of the T14. An applicant at or above the medians has a real chance, but nothing is guaranteed at this level.

The middle-50 percent ranges show the true target. LSAT scores run from 167 to 172, and GPAs run from 3.84 to 3.99. Applicants below the medians need exceptional strength elsewhere in the file, and those above them compete for scholarship money.

What LSAT and GPA Do You Need for Berkeley Law?

To be competitive at Berkeley Law, aim for an LSAT of 170 or higher and a GPA of 3.92 or higher, which match the class medians. Scores in the 167 to 172 LSAT range and the 3.84 to 3.99 GPA range fall within the middle 50 percent. Berkeley Law accepts the GRE as an alternative to the LSAT.

Target the medians, then push higher. Because Berkeley competes with the rest of the T14 for the same applicants, a score above 172 strengthens both admission and scholarship odds. Serious LSAT preparation is the single highest-value investment an applicant can make.

Berkeley reads the whole file. The school is known for weighing an applicant’s contributions, service, and background alongside the numbers, so a compelling story can matter. Review our guides to LSAT preparation, the law school personal statement, and the full law school application.

The GRE is a genuine alternative. Berkeley accepts either the LSAT or the GRE, which helps applicants from technical and scientific backgrounds who may test better on the GRE. Compare the two in our LSAT versus GRE guide, and gauge your odds with our admission predictor.

How Much Does Berkeley Law Cost?

Berkeley Law charges public-university tuition, which is lower than every private T14 school. California residents pay less than non-residents, and both pay well below the private-school average at this rank. Bay Area living costs are high, so the total cost of attendance runs above tuition alone.

Public tuition is Berkeley’s core value advantage. A student pays substantially less than at a private T14 peer while receiving comparable outcomes, which makes Berkeley one of the best returns in elite legal education.

Residency status changes the math significantly. California residents pay the lowest rate, and non-residents pay more, though still less than private peers. Non-residents can sometimes establish California residency for later years, which lowers the total three-year cost.

Living costs offset part of the tuition savings. Berkeley and the wider Bay Area are expensive places to live, so budget carefully for housing when comparing offers. Review general law school cost guidance, our scholarship guide, and how Berkeley compares among the most expensive law schools.

What Is Berkeley Law Known For?

Berkeley Law is known for intellectual property and technology law, environmental law, social justice and public interest, and constitutional law. Its Bay Area location gives it unmatched access to the technology sector. The school runs a large clinical program and publishes the California Law Review, the oldest law journal in the Western United States.

Technology and intellectual property law are Berkeley’s signature strengths. Sitting beside Silicon Valley, the school built one of the country’s leading IP and technology-law programs, with faculty, courses, and a dedicated technology law journal. Explore the field in our guide to the best law schools for intellectual property.

Environmental law is another top-tier program. Berkeley consistently ranks among the best environmental law schools in the country, supported by a clinic and by California’s role as a national leader in environmental regulation. See the full ranking in our environmental law schools guide.

Public interest is central to the school’s identity. Berkeley sends an unusually large share of graduates into public-interest and government work for a school at its rank, and this social-justice orientation shapes its clinics, courses, and culture. The school is also strong in constitutional law and international law.

What Clinics and Journals Does Berkeley Law Offer?

Berkeley Law runs a large clinical program, including the East Bay Community Law Center, the Death Penalty Clinic, the Samuelson Law, Technology and Public Policy Clinic, the Human Rights Clinic, and the Environmental Law Clinic. Its flagship journal is the California Law Review, joined by the Berkeley Technology Law Journal.

The East Bay Community Law Center is Berkeley’s clinical anchor. Founded by Berkeley Law students in 1988, the East Bay Community Law Center is now the largest provider of free legal services in the East Bay, training roughly 150 students a year while serving more than 7,000 clients annually.

The clinics cover the school’s core strengths. Students can take on capital cases in the Death Penalty Clinic, technology and privacy policy in the Samuelson Clinic, and environmental or human rights matters in their respective clinics. This range lets students practice in the exact area they want to enter.

The journals carry real prestige. The California Law Review, founded in 1912, was the first law review in the Western United States and remains entirely student-run. Membership is earned through a write-on competition and is a strong credential for clerkships and academic careers.

What Is Berkeley Law’s Bar Passage and Employment Rate?

Berkeley Law posted a first-time bar passage rate of 91.2 percent, well above California’s statewide rate of about 79.9 percent. Employment outcomes are stronger still, with about 97.8 percent of graduates employed within 10 months. Graduates concentrate in California, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Berkeley graduates pass the California bar at a high rate. The 91.2 percent first-time rate outpaces the state average by more than 11 points, which matters because California administers one of the harder bar exams in the country. Review general bar passage rate context.

Employment is where Berkeley truly excels. About 97.8 percent of graduates were employed within 10 months, placing the school among the best in the country on this measure. Graduates split between large firms, clerkships, government, and public-interest work.

Salaries reflect the large-firm and Bay Area market. Berkeley graduates entering private practice earn at the top of the national scale, while public-interest graduates earn less and often rely on the school’s loan repayment assistance.

How Is Berkeley Law Ranked?

Berkeley Law ranks in the top 14 nationally and is the highest-ranked public law school on the West Coast. It ranks near the top in specialty areas including intellectual property, environmental law, and clinical training. Rankings shift each year, so treat any single number as a snapshot.

Berkeley is a fixture of the T14. It competes directly with Stanford, Michigan, Virginia, and Northwestern, and it leads all West Coast public law schools. Its position reflects strong outcomes, faculty scholarship, and selectivity.

Specialty rankings tell the fuller story. Berkeley ranks at or near the top nationally in intellectual property and environmental law, and its clinical program draws consistent recognition. For applicants targeting those fields, the specialty rank matters more than the overall number.

Compare Berkeley against national peers using our law school rankings guide and the broader law school hub. Berkeley also appears among the hardest law schools to get into.

How Do You Become a Lawyer in California After Berkeley Law?

To become a lawyer in California, earn a J.D. from an ABA-approved law school like Berkeley Law, pass the California Bar Examination, pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), and receive a positive moral character determination. The State Bar of California administers admission under the California Supreme Court.

California licensing follows a clear sequence. To practice law in California, complete these 4 requirements. They are a qualifying legal education, a passing score on the California Bar Examination, a passing MPRE score, and a positive moral character determination.

The California bar exam is administered twice a year. It runs over two days, in February and July, and roughly 16,000 people sit for it annually, according to the State Bar of California. The exam is widely regarded as one of the most demanding in the country.

Berkeley graduates are well prepared for it. The school’s 91.2 percent first-time pass rate reflects both selective admissions and rigorous training. For general licensing steps, see our guides to the bar exam, its requirements, how to prepare, and how to become a lawyer.

How Does Berkeley Law Compare to Other California Law Schools?

Berkeley Law is the top public law school in California and competes with Stanford at the elite tier. Stanford ranks higher nationally but is smaller and private. UCLA is the closest public peer, while UC Law SF, UC Davis, UC Irvine, and USC sit below Berkeley in selectivity and national rank.

Berkeley and Stanford anchor the top of the state. Stanford is more selective and private, with a smaller class, while Berkeley offers comparable outcomes at public tuition and a stronger public-interest tradition. The choice often comes down to cost, culture, and career goals.

Read the full profiles before deciding. Compare Stanford Law, UCLA Law, UC Law SF, UC Davis, UC Irvine, and USC Gould, or see the regional picture in our top law schools in the West guide.

Is the UC Berkeley School of Law Worth It?

Yes, the UC Berkeley School of Law is worth it. It delivers T14 outcomes, including 97.8 percent employment, at public-university tuition, which produces one of the best returns in elite legal education. It is the strongest choice for students targeting technology, environmental, or public-interest law on the West Coast.

Berkeley offers elite outcomes at a lower price. Few schools match its combination of a top-14 rank, near-total employment, and public tuition, and California residents gain the most. For students weighing debt against prestige, Berkeley is the rare school that eases the trade.

The fit is clearest for specific goals. Students aiming at technology and IP law, environmental law, or public-interest careers find unmatched depth here, and Bay Area access strengthens all three. Applicants set on a different region should weigh geography, since Berkeley places most heavily in California.

The public mission is a genuine differentiator. Berkeley’s loan repayment support and public-interest culture make a non-corporate career financially realistic in a way that few peer schools match. Ready to plan your path? Explore more legal career resources at Lexinter.

The debt math favors Berkeley graduates. Because public tuition holds down borrowing while employment outcomes match private T14 peers, Berkeley students often finish with lighter debt and the same career options. Lower debt gives graduates real freedom to choose public-interest or government work.