OT school profile
Samuel Merritt University OT Doctorate
Oakland, CA. Compare accreditation status, delivery format, ACOTE review timing, and NBCOT results for this occupational therapy program.
Program snapshot
At-a-glance facts before you shortlist
Start with the visible facts applicants expect, then use the decision snapshot and source links to see what public data can and cannot answer.
At-a-glance
Samuel Merritt University
Cost, acceptance, and enrollment metrics are not matched for this program yet.
- Location
- Oakland, CA
- Credential
- OT Doctorate
- Latest NBCOT
- 89% (2025)
- Accreditation
- Accreditation
- Format
- 1-24% distanceDistance: 1-24%
- Next ACOTE review
- 2028/2029
Our take
Samuel Merritt University program assessment
Why it stands out
- The 94.0% multi-year NBCOT average gives a more dependable read than the latest result alone; the range bottoms out at 89%.
- The campus-centered format can suit students who want regular access to labs, faculty, and a local cohort rather than primarily online instruction.
Tradeoffs that matter
- The five-year record fell as low as 89%. That variability matters more than a strong latest year because the result has not been equally dependable across cohorts.
- Its #31 overall ot programs placement does not separate it from the strongest national options on the measures used in that comparison.
- An entry-level OTD is the longer, more intensive route to OT licensure. Its capstone and doctoral training need to matter to you; otherwise, a strong master's program may reach the same credential with less school.
What to compare next
- Put this OTD beside strong master's options and compare the added doctoral time with the capstone, faculty access, and specialty opportunities you would actually use.
- Use the 94.0% five-year NBCOT average and 89% low year when comparing outcomes; they say more about consistency than the latest 89% result alone.
- Compare required campus days and fieldwork travel with genuinely hybrid programs; the limited distance component here will not solve a long commute.
Ranking placement
Where this program appears in The OT Index
Published placements show where this program sits nationally, with the key facts to check before shortlisting.
| Program | OT Doctorate program |
|---|---|
| Institution type | Private Nonprofit |
| Location | 525 12th Street, Oakland, CA 94607 |
| Last ACOTE on-site review | 2023/2024 |
| Next ACOTE on-site review | 2028/2029 |
| Source coverage | ACOTE, NBCOT |
Applicant read
How the program's structure changes the decision
Degree level, delivery format, and accreditation timing create different kinds of value even when two programs have similar outcomes.
Degree path
This is an entry-level doctoral pathway. Compare the added time and cost against fieldwork quality, capstone fit, faculty access, and local career return.
Format fit
The distance component can reduce weekly classroom travel, but it does not remove lab, practical-exam, or fieldwork obligations. Its value depends on how much flexibility remains after those in-person blocks are counted.
Accreditation review context
ACOTE lists the next review window as 2028/2029. This is scheduling context, not a quality grade; confirm the program's current status and any review outcome directly with ACOTE.
NBCOT performance
Certification exam performance history
The OT Index stores the public NBCOT school-performance rows by program type and year, then links rows to ACOTE profiles when the school name can be matched.
| Year | NBCOT school name | Program type | Passing % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Samuel Merritt University | OT Doctoral-Level Programs | 89% |
| 2024 | Samuel Merritt University | OT Doctoral-Level Programs | 91% |
| 2023 | Samuel Merritt University | OT Doctoral-Level Programs | 93% |
| 2022 | Samuel Merritt University | OT Doctoral-Level Programs | 97% |
| 2021 | Samuel Merritt University | OT Doctoral-Level Programs | 100% |
Compare alternatives
Similar CA programs to review next
A serious shortlist should compare this profile against nearby programs with the same broad degree path, then weigh cost, commute, fieldwork, and outcomes.
Keck Graduate Institute
Claremont, CA. Format not listed. 100% passed in the latest matched NBCOT source year.
Open profile OT DoctorateLoma Linda University Health
Loma Linda, CA. 1-24% distance. 100% passed in the latest matched NBCOT source year.
Open profile OT DoctorateSouthern California University of Health Sciences
Whittier, CA. Bridge (OTA to OT Education); 75-100% distance. 100% passed in the latest matched NBCOT source year.
Open profile OT DoctorateUniversity of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA. 1-24% distance. 100% passed in the latest matched NBCOT source year.
Open profile
Samuel Merritt University makes a credible outcomes case, with a 94.0% NBCOT average across 5 years. The 89% low year keeps it from being an automatic choice, so fit matters more than the latest 89% result. This is fundamentally a campus-based choice, not an online-friendly one.