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Students in the Physician Assistant Program at Penn State College of Medicine take part in the White Coat Ceremony in 2016, during which the students receive their white coats signifying the start of their training. Three female students are seen in the foreground, reading from the event program, with a male and female student visible in the background.

Physician Assistant (PA) Program

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PA Program Tuition & Financial Aid

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Tuition rates for the PA Program are established by the Penn State University Board of Trustees in early July of each year, and are the same for residents and non-residents of Pennsylvania.

Total cost of attendance includes tuition, fees, book/supplies and a standard student budget for room and board, transportation and personal expenses.

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Tuition

PA Program Tuition DataTable

The total tuition costs for the program are used in order to help the student predict the various charges. These numbers are based upon the current academic year and program costs. Each academic year consists of three semesters (summer, fall, spring) with one class matriculating at the beginning of the summer semester.

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Additional Information

  • Total books and equipment for the entire program: $800 but up to $3,600 available in aid (costs considerably lower than the average of $4,000 in other programs due to the utilization of Penn State’s state-of-the-art Simulation Center and extensive library offering full-text electronic books and databases).
  • The university budgets the following non-billable costs for students in the graduate program:
    • Living Expenses per semester:
      • Rent: $2,824
      • Food: $1,752
      • Personal: $1,480
      • Transportation: $1,120
    • Total living expenses allowed per semester: $7,176 (six semesters in program)
  • Total Cost of Attendance for completion of the program and all expenses (excluding Penn State student health insurance) for the entire 24-month program:
    • In-State Academic Expenses: $88,028 + Living Expenses: $46,296 = $134,324 (entire 24-month program)
    • Out-of-State Academic Expenses: $90,928 + Living Expenses: $46,296 = $137,224 (entire 24-month program)
  • The above costs are for direct and indirect costs for the entire 24 months of the program. Financial aid packages are based upon the above-listed expenses.

Additional information regarding University tuition and fees schedule can be found at tuition.psu.edu.

Tuition Refund Policy

The Physician Assistant Program follows Penn State University's tuition refund policy in the event of student withdrawal from the program.

Criminal Background Check

All students enrolled in the PA Program will be required to complete the necessary background checks to participate in clinical year. The total cost to complete this process is $59.

Books/Medical Equipment

Because of the extensive full-text electronic books and databases available through our medical library and the utilization of Penn State’s state-of-the-art Simulation Center, our required textbook and equipment costs are considerably lower than many programs.

Health Insurance

All PA students are required to have health insurance coverage. Documentation of coverage is required in order to waive the Penn State student health insurance plan. Penn State offers a health insurance plan for students and their dependents through First Student.

Financial Aid

The Penn State College of Medicine Office of Student Aid is committed to assisting physician assistant students in making informed choices about paying for their graduate education. Although the primary financial responsibility for physician assistant education belongs to the student, there are financial sources that can be explored if financial assistance is necessary. The student aid office provides assistance and counseling to help students understand the financial resources available to them and how to obtain such resources.

The primary application for obtaining financial assistance at the Penn State College of Medicine is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Our federal student code is 003329.

Primary Aid Sources

  • University Aid: This includes scholarships and university loans and are almost exclusively need-based.
  • Federal Aid: This includes the Direct Stafford Loan and Direct GradPlus Loan. These are non-need based.

Contact Us

If you have questions about financial aid for the Physician Assistant program, please contact the Office of Student Aid at 717-531-7052 or StudentAid@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.