OT school profile
Samuel Merritt University OT Masters
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 Masters
- Latest NBCOT
- 83% (2025)
- Accreditation
- Accreditation
- Format
- 1-24% distanceDistance: 1-24%
- Next ACOTE review
- 2027/2028
Our take
Samuel Merritt University program assessment
Why it stands out
- The 80.8% multi-year NBCOT average gives a more dependable read than the latest result alone; the range bottoms out at 50%.
- 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 50%. That variability matters more than a strong latest year because the result has not been equally dependable across cohorts.
- Its #143 overall ot programs placement does not separate it from the strongest national options on the measures used in that comparison.
- A master's program is the more direct graduate route to OT licensure, but it offers less doctoral-level capstone depth for applicants who specifically want that experience.
What to compare next
- Compare this master's program with entry-level OTD options on time to degree, capstone expectations, and whether the doctoral credential changes your intended career path.
- Use the 80.8% five-year NBCOT average and 50% low year when comparing outcomes; they say more about consistency than the latest 83% 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 Masters program |
|---|---|
| Institution type | Private Nonprofit |
| Location | 525 12th Street, Oakland, CA 94607 |
| Last ACOTE on-site review | 2017/2018 |
| Next ACOTE on-site review | 2027/2028 |
| 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 a master's pathway. Compare program length, total cost, fieldwork placement quality, and whether the degree format fits your work or family constraints.
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 2027/2028. 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 Masters-Level Programs | 83% |
| 2024 | Samuel Merritt University | OT Masters-Level Programs | 50% |
| 2023 | Samuel Merritt University | OT Masters-Level Programs | 91% |
| 2022 | Samuel Merritt University | OT Masters-Level Programs | 80% |
| 2021 | Samuel Merritt University | OT Masters-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.
California State University, Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA. Campus-based. 98% passed in the latest matched NBCOT source year.
Open profile OT MastersSan Jose State University
San Jose, CA. 1-24% distance. 92% passed in the latest matched NBCOT source year.
Open profile OT MastersDominican University of California
San Rafael, CA. 1-24% distance. 90% passed in the latest matched NBCOT source year.
Open profile OT MastersStanbridge University
Irvine, CA. 25-49% distance. 86% passed in the latest matched NBCOT source year.
Open profile
Samuel Merritt University is not an outcomes-first recommendation: its 80.8% NBCOT average and 50% low year leave more variability than stronger peers. It belongs on a shortlist only when its location, degree path, or format is a particularly good match. This is fundamentally a campus-based choice, not an online-friendly one.