The current structured source does not include a published cost-of-attendance figure for this profile. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,825; families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $28,226.
Select your family income to see your estimated cost
Net prices are averages and may vary. Based on federal data for first-time, full-time students receiving aid.
| Cost Category | Amount |
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| Family Income | Net Price |
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| $0–30k | No data |
| $30–48k | No data |
| $48–75k | No data |
| $75–110k | No data |
| $110k+ | No data |
The current structured source does not include a published cost-of-attendance figure for this profile. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,825; families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $28,226. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $148,182, median federal debt projects to a monthly payment of about $235 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios, use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
How much students borrow and whether debt is manageable given outcomes.
Debt is well below typical first-year earnings — generally considered very manageable.
How cost compares to graduate earnings and value added.
Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $148,182, placing Samuel Merritt University in the 100.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $57,042 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band), a gap that reflects the institution's deep concentration in health professions — fields where licensure requirements and strong employer demand translate into reliable early-career pay. Azimuth ranks Samuel Merritt University #14 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Samuel Merritt University also sits in the 99.4 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the four-year horizon. The program lineup at Samuel Merritt University is tightly focused on Health fields, which shapes both the earnings floor and the ceiling for most graduates. Nursing is the institution's highest aggregate-return program by combined cohort scale and earnings, anchoring the school's overall return profile. Nursing is the largest program, graduating 508 students and delivering median earnings of $148,193 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks Nursing #1 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions , at 1.7x the national benchmark for the field. Because Samuel Merritt University trains graduates almost exclusively for credentialed health careers in CA, outcomes are relatively consistent across the program portfolio — students who complete a degree here enter labor markets where demand is durable and starting salaries are well above the broad four-year average.
