Tuition + fees $170,003
Published full-program estimate
Check my fit with this school
Check three basics
Enter any GPA or patient care hours you know. We’ll compare them with this school’s published numbers. This is a starting point, not an eligibility decision.
The quick check needs JavaScript.
A closer look
An Oakland PA program focused on clinical excellence, community engagement, and care for diverse and underserved populations.
Mission & approach
The Samuel Merritt University Master of Physician Assistant program prepares graduates for the practice of medicine in diverse communities and with interprofessional teams.
Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Holistic: academic performance, clinical experience, community service, leadership. Core values (priority order): Interpersonal/Interprofessional Communication, Teamwork, Critical Thinking, Patient Interaction/Professional Exposure, Responsibility, Technical Skill, Medical Knowledge. Preferences: GPAs >3.4, >2,000 PCE (>1,000 same setting), licensed/certified roles, PA shadowing, PA/MD/DO LORs, veterans, bilingual, service/leadership, disadvantaged background.
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions informationHow this program interviews
The mandatory all-day interview combines a meeting with the department chair, individual faculty and alumni interviews, a student panel interview, and multiple mini interview stations and/or a team-based activity. Applicants are assessed on communication skills, emotional intelligence, professional practice, academic readiness, ethical orientation, and fit for the program. Interviews may be completed in-person or virtually, with final admission decisions made by March 1.
Source checked Aug 1, 2026. Interview formats and dates can change between cycles.
Program interview informationAdmissions & prerequisites
Admission requirements
Prerequisite coursework
Semester credits unless notedReview each course, its lab, and the program’s policies. Your links are planning records; the program decides equivalency.
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Anatomy | 4Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
| Human Physiology | 4Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
| Microbiology | 4Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
| Biology | 4Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
| Statistics | 3Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
| General or Inorganic Chemistry | 4Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
| Organic Chemistry | 4Semester credits unless noted | Not required | C |
Policies that can change your plan
- Labs
- No prerequisite course requires a lab.
No prerequisite labs are required. Chemistry courses must be appropriate for biology/pre-med students. The biology courses total 16 credits and the other math/science courses total 11 credits.
Dates & application steps
Check with the program on whether CASPA must have processed your application by this date.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
Published full-program estimatePublished nonresident full-program tuition
The program publishes full-program tuition and a program total, but not an itemized list of required fees. Check with the program.
Curriculum & clinical training
Medical sciences and simulation
Integrated medical science, clinical medicine and simulation connect classroom learning with clinical practice.
Supervised rotations
Eight required rotations—including geriatrics—and two electives, with preclinical preparation, practice-transition instruction and summative evaluation.
27-month, seven-semester full-time Oakland program. Students are not required to identify their own clinical sites or preceptors.
The admitted class
Class of 2025
Published class statisticsThe class year is shown as the program published it. The science GPA shown is not specific to this class.
Compare published cohorts
| Class | Published GPA | Published science-related GPA | Published experience hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2025 | 3.62 | Not recorded | Not recorded |
Published class statistics describe the named cohort or population. They are not admission minimums or acceptance probabilities.
The program’s track record
Graduate outcomes
PANCE pass rates
See first-time program performance with clearly dated national context.
- First-time PANCE pass rate: 92%
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 85%
Accreditation history
ContinuedSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- Samuel Merritt University program page
- ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory
- Program contact page
- Samuel Merritt University curriculum/program program page
About the U.S. News rank
The U.S. News PA rank uses the 2025 PA edition, matched to the listed program and campus. It reflects peer-assessed reputation, not admissions odds or a personal fit score. Programs without a separate entry are labeled “Unranked.”
How competitive are you for this program?
Match AI compares your full profile with this program and every other one, then sorts your list into Reach, Target and Safety.