Physician Assistant Program Cost

How Much Does a Physician Assistant Program Cost?

Medium: Two Year Programs At Public Universities Can Cost $2,300-$70,000 In-State

High: Two Year Programs at Private Universities Can Run Around $60,000

A physician assistant practices medicine under the supervision of a physician or surgeon. Most already have a bachelor's degree and train about two years to provide diagnostic, therapeutic and prevention health care services.

Typical costs:

Including statistics from both the public and private sector, tuition costs ranged from $2,300 -$99,950 in 2007 for the 27-month course, according to the Physician Assistant Programs Directory maintained by the Physician Assistant Education Association and available for a $35 per year subscription fee. Rates are listed for free at each of the individual university websites.
Public universities offering physician assistant programs generally charge at the lower end of the scale. However, there exists a wide range of price points even within the same state. Tuition, books and supplies at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant costs about $15,300 for two years, and around $47,000 at Wayne State in Detroit. Students at the University of Washington in Seattle can expect to pay around $59,600 (around $30,000 each year) for their two year program. Due to state funding requirements at public universities, students from out of the area spend about $17,450 -$75,000 or more each year for the same programs.
Tuition at private schools varies almost as much as in public institutions, but without state support the colleges generally cost more. Students at Duke University in North Carolina entering in 2008 will pay about $55,680 for the two-year program, while physician assistants at Yale University in New Haven Connecticut would pay over $68,000 on tuition alone for their 2 year and four month program.

Additional costs:

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants Exam costs about $600 and must be maintained through continued education and testing.
Books can run $1,500 -$4,300 per year.
A laptop computer and necessary medical supplies can add up to $3,000 -$5,000.

Discounts:

The American Academy of Physicians Assistants offers online scholarship information.
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is often the first step toward a student loan, grant or scholarship.

Shopping for a physician assistant program: