Merritt College is a public two-year institution founded in 1953 and part of the Peralta Community College District, serving East Oakland from its hilltop campus overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Enrolling approximately 6,700 students, Merritt offers programs in nursing, radiologic science, medical assisting, landscape horticulture, environmental management, nutrition and dietetics, and liberal arts transfer pathways. The college holds particular historical significance as the institution where Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale met as students in 1966 and founded the Black Panther Party — a legacy honored by the adoption of the Panthers as the college's official mascot. Merritt competes in the California Community College Athletic Association's Bay Valley Conference. With California's among the lowest community college tuition rates in the nation, Merritt provides accessible education to the diverse communities of Oakland and Alameda County.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
—
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$9898
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $9,898
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
