OT school profile
Western Michigan University OT Doctorate
Kalamazoo, MI. 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
Western Michigan University
College Scorecard values are institution-level, not OT-program-specific admissions or tuition guarantees.
- Location
- Kalamazoo, MI
- Credential
- OT Doctorate
- Latest NBCOT
- 90% (2025)
- Accreditation
- Accreditation
- Format
- Campus-basedDistance: 0%
- Next ACOTE review
- 2029/2030
- In-state tuition
- $15,252Institution-level Scorecard
- Acceptance rate
- UnavailableInstitution-level Scorecard
- Enrollment
- UnavailableUndergraduate Scorecard
- Median debt
- $26,188Institution-level Scorecard
Our take
Western Michigan University program assessment
Why it stands out
- 3 matched NBCOT years are available. The latest 90% result is promising context, but the history is still too short to establish consistency.
- 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
- Only 3 matched NBCOT years are available, so the current result cannot show how performance holds across multiple graduating cohorts.
- Its #76 public value placement is a weaker institution-level cost and debt signal within the matched public-school set; it is not an overall program-quality rank.
- 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.
- Treat the 3 matched NBCOT years as preliminary evidence. Compare the 90% to 100% range, request cohort counts, and do not treat the 94.3% average as equivalent to a complete five-year record.
- 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 | Public |
| Location | College of Health and Human Services, 1903 W. Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5333 |
| Last ACOTE on-site review | 2022/2023 |
| Next ACOTE on-site review | 2029/2030 |
| 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
A campus-based format favors students who value regular access to faculty, labs, and a local cohort. The cost is less control over commute and weekly schedule than a genuinely hybrid program offers.
Accreditation review context
ACOTE lists the next review window as 2029/2030. 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 | Western Michigan University | OT Doctoral-Level Programs | 90% |
| 2024 | Western Michigan University | OT Doctoral-Level Programs | 93% |
| 2023 | Western Michigan University | OT Doctoral-Level Programs | 100% |
Compare alternatives
Similar MI 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.
Concordia University Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI. 50-74% distance. 100% passed in the latest matched NBCOT source year.
Open profile OT DoctorateUniversity of Michigan-Flint
Flint, MI. 1-24% distance. 92% passed in the latest matched NBCOT source year.
Open profile OT DoctorateAndrews University
Berrien Springs, MI. Format not listed. NBCOT outcome unavailable in matched public data.
Open profile OT DoctorateU. of Detroit Mercy (OTD)
Detroit, MI. Format not listed. NBCOT outcome unavailable in matched public data.
Open profile
Western Michigan University has 3 matched NBCOT years, including a 90% latest result. That is useful early evidence, but it is not comparable to a complete five-year record. This is fundamentally a campus-based choice, not an online-friendly one.