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Merritt College
Oakland, California · Public community college · Training programs available:
Address: 12500 Campus Dr, Oakland, CA 94619 · Phone: (510) 531-4911 · School website ↗ · Verify on College Scorecard ↗
Sanction on record, since lifted — Nov 2025 · Probation · Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology; Aug 2026 · Renewal of Accreditation.
Merritt College is a public trade and career school in Oakland, California, offering medical assistant programs and EMT & paramedic training, accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
Merritt College's completion rate is 26.4%, below the California state average of 64.2%, and median earnings 10 years after entry are $44,392, per the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Median graduate debt is not reported for this campus.
Cost of attendance is not reported in federal data for Merritt College; contact the school for current tuition. Federal financial aid can be used here, and about 10.8% of students receive Pell Grants.
What these trades pay once you're working
| Occupation | Starting (10th pct) | Median | Experienced (75th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical assistants | $39,290 | $49,660 | $61,870 |
| Emergency medical technicians | $38,740 | $46,380 | $59,180 |
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages for everyone employed in the occupation in California (May 2025; national where the state figure is not published). The program table below shows what this campus's own graduates earned in their first year, whatever job they took.
Trade programs at this campus
| Program | Credential | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Earnings, yr 2 | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 17 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.
Graduates per year from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey. Earnings and debt are College Scorecard field-of-study medians for graduates of this program at this campus (reported at the 4-digit program level, so closely related programs share a figure); "not reported" means too few graduates were counted to publish a figure.
About this school
Merritt College is a public community college located in Oakland, California. It participates in federal Title IV financial aid programs, meaning students may use FAFSA and Pell Grant funding to help cover costs. The campus holds accreditation through the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, along with program-specific accreditation from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics/Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics and the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. Its trade and career training is concentrated in two program families: medical assistant programs, which account for the bulk of its 17 recorded completions, and EMT & paramedic training, with 1 completion recorded.
Federal data show a completion rate of 26.4%, which is below the California state average of 64.2%. Median earnings for graduates 10 years after entry are reported at $44,392. Median debt for graduates is not reported for this campus in federal data. Annual cost of attendance is not reported for this campus in federal data. About 10.8% of students receive Pell Grants, a rough indicator of the share of lower-income students enrolled.
With a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,288 in a large-city setting, Merritt functions primarily as a broad community college rather than a single-purpose trade school, and its trade completions are a small slice of overall activity. This may suit career changers seeking a short medical assistant or EMT credential within a larger public college environment, though the below-average completion rate is worth weighing. Prospective students should verify current program details directly with the school and review outcomes independently via the College Scorecard.
Questions students ask
What trade and career programs does this campus offer?
Merritt College offers medical assistant programs (17 completions) and EMT & paramedic training (1 completion), based on federal program data.
Is this school accredited, and by whom?
Yes, Merritt College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, with additional program-level accreditation from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics/Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics and the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology.
Can I use federal financial aid (FAFSA, Pell Grants) at this school?
Yes, Merritt College participates in Title IV federal financial aid programs, so students can apply for FAFSA and Pell Grant funding.
What share of students finish their program here, and how does that compare to the state?
The completion rate at Merritt College is 26.4%, which is below the California state average of 64.2%.
How much debt do graduates of this school typically carry?
Median debt for graduates is not reported for this campus in federal data; contact the school directly or check the College Scorecard for updates.
What do graduates of this school earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entry are reported at $44,392, per federal Scorecard data.
How much does it cost to attend for a year?
Annual cost of attendance is not reported for this campus in federal data. Contact the school at (510) 531-4911 or visit its website for current tuition figures.
Is this a public, non-profit, or for-profit school, and why does that matter?
Merritt College is a public institution, which typically means lower tuition for state residents and eligibility for state and federal aid programs.
How long do the programs here take to complete?
Specific program lengths are not reported in the data provided; contact the school directly to confirm program duration for medical assistant or EMT training.
How do I verify this school's accreditation and outcomes myself?
You can confirm accreditation status and review detailed outcome data through the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard at https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?118772.
Is this school a good fit for an adult changing careers?
The listed program families, medical assistant and EMT training, are common short-term entry points for career changers, though specific schedule or format details are not reported in this data.
What license or certification will I need after finishing a program here?
Licensing or certification requirements are not specified in the available data; contact Merritt College directly to learn what credentials follow each program.
How do I contact the school or apply?
You can reach Merritt College by phone at (510) 531-4911 or through its website at https://www.merritt.edu/.
How does this campus compare with other schools offering the same trade nearby?
Comparative data on nearby schools is not included here; use the College Scorecard link to compare completion rates, costs, and earnings across institutions.
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Data: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026. Figures are the U.S. Department of Education's official measures, not Career Training Path's opinion. Tuition, schedules and program availability change — confirm with the school before enrolling.