Samuel Merritt University
About
Samuel Merritt University (SMU) is a private university focused on health sciences with its main campus in Oakland, California, and other facilities in Sacramento, Foster City and Fresno. It was an affiliate of the Sutter Health Network and Alta Bates Summit Medical Center until it disaffiliated in January, 2022, becoming a wholly independent institution. It is the only provider of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and physician assistants and is the largest source of nurses in the greater East Bay. Formerly known as Samuel Merritt College, it was founded in 1909 as a hospital school of nursing. Today, it stands as a comprehensive health sciences university, encompassing three colleges: College of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, and College of Podiatric Medicine
Academic programs
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Faculty
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Samuel Merritt vs IPEDS peer group
The peer institutions Samuel Merritt selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectSamuel Merritt University | — | — | 1,926 | — | Associates Colleges: High Transfer-High Nontraditional |
Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 68% | 89.9% | 79,818 | $13,670 | R1 Research |
Azusa Pacific University | 62% | 88.4% | 6,272 | $19,798 | R2 Research |
Barry University | 37% | 77.2% | 6,825 | $22,978 | Doctoral/Professional |
Boston College | 91% | 16.4% | 15,432 | $39,866 | R1 Research |
California State University-East Bay | 48% | 97.4% | 12,326 | $11,276 | R2 Research |
California State University-Fullerton | 70% | 90.5% | 43,662 | $5,646 | R2 Research |
California State University-Sacramento | 56% | 94.0% | 31,943 | $10,512 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Chapman University | 82% | 65.4% | 9,760 | $47,527 | R2 Research |
Columbia University in the City of New York | 96% | 4.0% | 35,173 | $20,148 | R1 Research |
Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center | — | — | 1,534 | — | Associates Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional |
Dominican University of California | 78% | 83.5% | 1,900 | $50,218 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
Duke University | 97% | 5.7% | 17,499 | $34,454 | R1 Research |
Georgetown University | 95% | 12.9% | 20,031 | $39,433 | R1 Research |
Johns Hopkins University | 94% | 6.4% | 30,210 | $18,161 | R1 Research |
Keck Graduate Institute | — | — | 622 | — | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Loma Linda University | — | — | 4,210 | — | R2 Research |
Loyola University Chicago | 75% | 81.6% | 17,384 | $35,196 | R2 Research |
Midwestern University-Glendale | — | — | 3,738 | — | Associates Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional |
Mount Saint Mary's University | 48% | 73.1% | 2,312 | $25,009 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
New York College of Podiatric Medicine | — | — | 339 | — | Associates Colleges: High Transfer-High Nontraditional |
Oregon Health & Science University | — | — | 2,942 | — | Associates Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Traditional |
Pacific University | 67% | 89.6% | 3,427 | $35,350 | Doctoral/Professional |
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science | — | — | 2,021 | — | Associates Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional |
San Francisco State University | 50% | 96.4% | 22,563 | $12,882 | R2 Research |
San Jose State University | 69% | 84.6% | 37,661 | $13,741 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Sonoma State University | 58% | 93.4% | 5,891 | $13,801 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Temple University | 75% | 80.4% | 29,640 | $29,219 | R1 Research |
The University of Alabama | 73% | 76.6% | 40,846 | $22,150 | R1 Research |
University of California-Davis | 86% | 41.8% | 40,065 | $15,288 | R1 Research |
University of California-San Francisco | — | — | 3,007 | — | Associates Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Traditional |
University of Kentucky | 71% | 92.9% | 34,709 | $17,218 | R1 Research |
University of Maine at Fort Kent | 34% | 97.9% | 1,562 | $10,865 | Baccalaureate |
University of New England | 70% | 91.6% | 6,573 | $37,109 | R2 Research |
University of Puget Sound | 68% | 72.2% | 1,864 | $38,920 | Baccalaureate |
University of San Diego | 84% | 52.4% | 9,714 | $31,265 | R2 Research |
University of San Francisco | 70% | 61.7% | 8,913 | $39,495 | Doctoral/Professional |
University of Southern California | 92% | 9.8% | 46,566 | $31,927 | R1 Research |
University of the Pacific | 68% | 71.3% | 6,944 | $25,926 | Doctoral/Professional |
Vanderbilt University | 94% | 5.9% | 13,575 | $19,040 | R1 Research |
Western University of Health Sciences | — | — | 3,665 | — | Associates Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional |
| Peer group median | 70% | 77.2% | 8,913 | $22,978 |
Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Research and Evaluation provides objective, systematic, and thorough research and analysis in support of Samuel Merritt University's strategic and operational planning, policy formation, and decision-making activities.
Visit IR office page- Nandini DasguptaDirector of Institutional Research and Evaluation
Documents & reports (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic planSamuel Merritt University Strategic Plan 2024-20272024Samuel Merritt University has released its strategic plan for 2024-2027, focusing on five strategic themes: student success, higher enrollment, program excellence, program identity, and culture & infrastructure. Key priorities include enhancing pass rates, boosting enrollment and applicant pipelines, and developing new centers and clinics. Progress is already evident, with advancements in biomechanics research and a new articulation agreement poised to streamline student pathways.samuelmerritt.edu
Grants & funding opportunities (1)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
IR job openings (1)
Institutional Research and analytics roles currently posted at this institution.
Notable alumni (4)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- CC Barber
- Laura DavisAthletics
- Lawrence B. Harkless
- Kelly Starrett
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