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SchoolsData as of Oct 7, 2026

Samuel Merritt UniversityEntry-level master’s (ELM): NCLEX pass rates & data

Oakland, CA · Private · BRN-approved · CCNE-accredited · Campuses: Oakland; Sacramento

  • NCLEX pass rate, 2024–2585.0% (-5.2 vs. state · 80 testers)
  • Five-year pass rate82.4% of 450
  • Rank among open ELM programs, 2024–257 of 8 (30+ testers)
  • Listed cost, before aid$170,676
  • Approved new students per year144
Compare ELM programsProgram website
NCLEX pass rate
85.0%2024–25
Blue: this program · dashed: California
’20–21’21–22’22–23’23–24’24–25100%70%
First-time testers
802024–25
Graduates sitting the NCLEX for the first time
97’20–21103’21–2297’22–2373’23–2480’24–25
On-time completion
82%2023–24
Self-reported to the BRN
’19–20’20–21’21–22’22–23’23–24100%60%
Attrition
11%2023–24
Share of students who left the program
2.3%’19–2010%’20–210%’21–2210%’22–2311%’23–24

Key facts

Last updated

NCLEX pass rates

In 2024–25, 85.0% of 80 first-time testers passed the NCLEX-RN, 5.2 points below the California average of 90.2%. Over five years, 82.4% of 450 testers passed.1

First-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, by reporting year

Samuel Merritt University (ELM)California, all programs
70%80%90%100%2020–212021–222022–232023–242024–2582.5%80.6%78.3%87.7%85.0%CaliforniaELM program
70%80%90%100%’20–21’21–22’22–23’23–24’24–2582.5%80.6%78.3%87.7%85.0%
Data source: CA BRN NCLEX-RN pass-rate tables (listed as “Samuel Merritt University - MSN”); California average is a SEAPHE tester-weighted calculation.Download CSV
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Year (Jul–Jun)TestersPass rateCaliforniavs. state
2020–219782.5%89.2%-6.7
2021–2210380.6%85.9%-5.3
2022–239778.3%85.7%-7.4
2023–247387.7%94.0%-6.3
2024–258085.0%90.2%-5.2

Completion and attrition

In 2023–24, the program reported 82% on-time completion and 11% attrition to the BRN.3

Year (Aug–Jul)On-time completionAttrition
2019–2086.0%2.3%
2020–2183.0%10.0%
2021–22100.0%0.0%
2022–2382.0%10.0%
2023–2482.0%11.0%

Self-reported by the program to UCSF for the BRN Annual School Survey.

Admissions

The BRN does not publish acceptance rates for individual schools. Across California’s ELM programs, 33.6% of 3,322 qualified applications were accepted in 2024–25.4 This program is approved for 144 new students a year.2 Ask the school for last cycle’s qualified applicants and seats.

Applied here? Share your results in our 2-minute anonymous survey. It helps future applicants see real admissions odds.

California nursing school acceptance rates →

Cost

The BRN lists a cost of $170,676 before financial aid (Total Program).2 That figure comes from the school’s report to the Board and may not include housing, transport or exam fees. Check the program’s current cost of attendance.

Accreditation and program facts

State approvalCalifornia BRN
InstitutionWSCUC
Nursing programCCNE
DegreeELM
StateCalifornia
CityOakland
SectorPrivate
AdmitsGeneric pre-licensure
Phone(510) 869-6129 x3765
WebsiteVisit
SourceBRN program list

What ACEN, CCNE and CNEA mean →

Similar programs

Open private ELM programs with 30+ first-time testers in 2024–25, by pass rate.

ProgramTesters2024–255-year
University of the PacificSacramento4197.6%97.4%
California Baptist UniversityRiverside4095.0%88.3%
Western University of Health SciencesPomona7293.1%90.8%
Charles Drew UniversityLos Angeles4586.7%84.9%
University of San FranciscoSan Francisco11182.9%89.2%

Sources

  1. California BRN, NCLEX-RN Pass Rates, First Time CA Educated Exam Testers, 2020–21 to 2024–25. Retrieved Oct 7, 2026.
  2. California BRN, Approved Pre-Licensure RN Programs (cost, enrollment, sector). Retrieved Oct 7, 2026.
  3. California BRN, Accreditation, Attrition and On Time Completion Rates. Retrieved Oct 7, 2026.
  4. California BRN, 2024–25 Annual School Report: Data Summary, Table 3, p. 3.

SEAPHE Editorial Team · Reviewed by a practicing registered nurse (RN, BSN). Data updated Oct 7, 2026. Spot an error? See our corrections policy.

How to cite this data

Last updated . Please cite SEAPHE and the original public source.

Suggested citation: SEAPHE. (2026). Samuel Merritt University (ELM): NCLEX-RN pass rates and program data [Data set]. Compiled from California Board of Registered Nursing public records. https://seaphe.org/schools/samuel-merritt-university-elm/ (updated Oct 7, 2026).

Original source: California BRN, NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: First Time CA Educated Exam Testers; California BRN, Approved Pre-Licensure RN Programs.

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