Tuition and Financial Aid

• Program Fee: This one-time, non-refundable, $2,500 fee is assessed during the Fall semester of the students Didactic Year, and includes access to online textbooks and course preparation materials, experiential learning fees for simulation and sonosim training, student activities fees, student memberships to PSPA and AAPA, clinical year onboarding fees, standardized assessment software for didactic and clinical year assessments, student test banks, and participation in a live board review course.

• Books: The program provides students with online access to all required program textbooks via Access Medicine and online resources through the Harrell Health Sciences Library. Students that prefer hard copy textbooks should estimate a cost of approximately $1,200 if they choose to purchase their own textbooks.

• Medical Equipment: The Office of Alumni Relations provides all students with a gifted stethoscope, reflex hammer, and medical penlight. Equipment costs are estimated around $200, and include a suture kit/practice suture, knot tying kit, blood pressure cuff, tuning forks, pocket eye chart, flexible tape measure, wrist watch, flexible ruler and EKG calipers.

• 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: $90,384 + Living Expenses: $46,296 = $136,680 (entire 24-month program)

  • Out-of-State Academic Expenses: $93,284 + Living Expenses: $46,296 = $139,580 (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'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.