Outcomes
Strong post-grad earnings
Median earnings 10 yrs out are above the graduate average.
This school$143k
National avg$48k
Source: CollegeScorecard 2024
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Samuel Merritt University
Oakland, CA
Samuel Merritt University at a glance
Samuel Merritt University is a private university in Oakland, California with 1,926 students (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). 91% of students take federal loans, and borrowers leave with a median $20,825 (College Scorecard). By program, the highest graduate earnings four years after finishing are in Medicine (MD), doctoral ($165,829) and Nursing (RN), master's ($155,587) (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates).
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Specialized Institution Notice
This institution has a specialized focus (e.g., graduate-only, health sciences, or professional) which means some standard undergraduate data points like freshman tuition or acceptance rates are not reported to the national databases.
Tuition
Institution does not report this
Acceptance
Institution does not report this
Students
1,926
Fall 2024
Type
University
Setting
Urban
Cost & Financial Aid
In-State Tuition
Institution does not report this
Out-of-State Tuition
Institution does not report this
Avg On-Campus Living
Not available
Avg Off-Campus Living
Not available
Financial Aid & Outcomes
College Scorecard
After graduation
Median earnings (10yr): $143,238
Median debt at graduation: $20,825
Est. monthly loan payment: $221
Earnings-to-debt ratio
Strong · 6.9×Graduates earn about 6.9× their median debt every year.
Financial access
Students on Pell Grants: 18%
Pell Grants are federal aid for students from low-income families.
Students with federal loans: 91%
Share of students who borrowed to pay for school.
Some fields may not be reported by this institution. Verify final details with the school directly.
How does cost line up with outcomes across colleges? See our analysis of college cost vs. graduation and earnings, an association shaped by selectivity and sector, not proof a pricier college pays off.
FAFSA earnings check
: Not flaggedSamuel Merritt University does not trigger the FAFSA's "lower earnings" notice. Its graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $156,271, above the $36,565 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in California.
This is one figure for the whole institution, not for any program: earnings differ by credential and field. It covers graduates who completed in 2017-18 and 2018-19, received federal aid, and were working and not enrolled when earnings were measured in 2022 and 2023, in January 2026 dollars. The Department says the notice is informational only: it does not change aid eligibility. Source: U.S. Department of Education, FSA Data Center, March 2026 release. Which colleges are flagged, and what changed.
Source: CollegeScorecard (2024)
Final aid offers, scholarships, and net price vary per family. Always verify with the school's financial aid office.
Scholarships available
Decision support · Cost & value
Quick Decision Highlights
The strongest cost, aid, and value reasons to consider this school.
Manageable graduate debt
$20.8k below avg
Scholarships available
Aid signal
Affordability snapshot
Pell
18%
Median debt
$20.8k
below avg
Earnings (10y)
$143k
above avg
“Avg” comparisons reference national IPEDS / College Scorecard averages (~2022–23); figures are directional and vary by school and year.
Admissions
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Location
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UniversitiesCommunity Colleges1 school
Institution does not report this
Oakland, CA 94609
Academics
Studying online: a substantial share study entirely online
In Fall 2023, 378 of Samuel Merritt University's 1,894 students (20%) were enrolled entirely at a distance.
Distance-education figures count STUDENTS enrolled in Fall 2023, not programs on offer. "Exclusively at a distance" means a student took only distance courses that term. A college with few or no such students may still run online courses or an online degree, so a low figure is not evidence that online study is unavailable, and a high one is not a judgement of quality either way.
U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Fall Enrollment (distance education status), Fall 2023
Fields of study
Samuel Merritt University reported conferring credentials in 4 different fields to the federal government. See which ones, and at what credential level.
Campus & Student Life
Area Safety Rating
Decision support
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Graduate earnings by program
What Samuel Merritt University graduates earn, by program
Samuel Merritt University's bachelor's graduates in Nursing (RN) earned a median $148,193 four years after graduating, 67% above the $88,910 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $119,486; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $20,000 in federal loans at this college (about $212 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $25,000 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level).
7 programs at Samuel Merritt University have federal earnings or debt figures, largest graduating classes first. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Debt: graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20. The national median is the same measure for every program in that field and credential in the U.S.
| Program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after | National median | Federal debt borrowed at this college (median) | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing (RN), Bachelor's | $148,193 | $88,910, +67% | $20,000 | $212/mo |
| Nursing (RN), Master's | $155,587 | $120,193, +29% | $139,395 | $1,586/mo |
| Allied Health (diagnostic and treatment), Master's | $144,577 | $127,347, +14% | $175,398 | $1,995/mo |
| Rehabilitation and Therapy, Master's | $90,854 | $71,416, +27% | — | — |
| Medicine (MD), Doctoral | $165,829 | $118,504, +40% | $244,534 | $2,782/mo |
| Rehabilitation and Therapy, Doctoral | $94,813 | $82,893, +14% | $166,163 | $1,890/mo |
| Nursing (RN), Doctoral | $147,055 | $138,131, +6% | $142,137 | $1,617/mo |
Compare what Nursing (RN) pays at other colleges
What the job pays locally
- Nursing (RN) graduates train as registered nurses: median $140,270 in California.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: everyone working in the job, every experience level, not only recent graduates.
Median earnings of graduates who received federal student aid, worked, and were not enrolled in school; debt is the median federal loans borrowed at this college by graduates who borrowed (Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS; not Parent PLUS, private loans or interest). Programs with too few graduates are suppressed by the Department of Education. Monthly payment assumes a standard 10-year plan. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study data, 10 June 2026. Download every program (CSV). Same degree, different paycheck: what the national data show. Over the Cap: graduate programs where typical debt exceeds the federal loan limits in force since July 2026. Nursing graduates vs RN pay by state: the early-career benchmark.
Frequently asked questions
About Samuel Merritt University
Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.
- Where is Samuel Merritt University located?
- Samuel Merritt University is located in Oakland, CA, in the United States.
- What type of institution is Samuel Merritt University?
- Samuel Merritt University is a private university based in CA. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.
- How many students attend Samuel Merritt University?
- Samuel Merritt University reports total enrollment of approximately 1,926 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.
- How much student debt do graduates of Samuel Merritt University have?
- Students who borrowed at Samuel Merritt University left with a median of approximately $20,825 in federal loans, and about 91% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.
- How much do graduates of Samuel Merritt University earn?
- Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $143,238 for students who received federal financial aid at Samuel Merritt University. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.
- How should I verify final details about Samuel Merritt University?
- CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Samuel Merritt University.
- How much do Nursing (RN) graduates from Samuel Merritt University earn?
- Samuel Merritt University's bachelor's graduates in Nursing (RN) earned a median $148,193 four years after graduating, 67% above the $88,910 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $119,486; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $20,000 in federal loans at this college (about $212 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $25,000 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level). For context, registered nurses in California are paid a median $140,270 a year across all experience levels (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025), a figure for everyone in the job, not only recent graduates.
- How much do Allied Health (diagnostic and treatment) graduates from Samuel Merritt University earn?
- Samuel Merritt University's master's graduates in Allied Health (diagnostic and treatment) earned a median $144,577 four years after graduating, 14% above the $127,347 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $136,933; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $175,398 in federal loans at this college (about $1,995 a month on a 10-year plan).
- Which programs at Samuel Merritt University have the highest graduate earnings?
- Among the 6 programs at Samuel Merritt University with a federal earnings figure from at least 30 graduates, the highest medians four years after graduating were Medicine (MD), doctoral ($165,829); Nursing (RN), master's ($155,587); and Nursing (RN), bachelor's ($148,193) (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). That order is one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality: earnings reflect the field and where graduates go to work as well as the program.
- Does Samuel Merritt University get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?
- No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, Samuel Merritt University's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $156,271, above the $36,565 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in California, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.
Fields this college awarded credentials in
All 4 fields Samuel Merritt University reported, by credentials conferred in 2024-25, using the federal classification of each field. The level is the highest credential actually awarded, which is not always the one a field is best known for.
| Field | Awarded | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 719 | Graduate (187 graduate · 532 bachelor's) |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 85 | Graduate |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 45 | Graduate |
| Medicine | 34 | Graduate |
Fields are as classified in the federal IPEDS completions collection, which records credentials already conferred. A field listed here was awarded in the reporting year; it does not confirm the program is currently admitting students, and a field CampusPin has no guide for is still shown under its official federal title. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Explore more
Compare colleges side by side. Other colleges in San Francisco, CA. All colleges in California. California college costs by family income. Student debt at California colleges. Computer science in California. Business in California. Nursing in California. Psychology in California. Engineering in California.
Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with Samuel Merritt University before applying.
Data sources & methodology
Reporting period: 2024. Last verified: June 10, 2026.
Facts on this profile of Samuel Merritt University are compiled from federal datasets and the institution's own published information.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
IPEDS / NCES College Navigator
Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
Net price by income band, post-graduation earnings, and federal aid context.
Clery Act campus security reports
Annual campus security and fire-safety disclosures required of U.S. institutions.
Institutional websites
Each school's official admissions, registrar, and financial-aid pages are the authoritative source for current details.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. (2024). Samuel Merritt University, college profile. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/samuel-merritt-university
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