College of Saint Mary PA Program: Requirements, Tuition & Stats

• Middle-of-the-pack GPA: The average accepted overall GPA (3.59) is close to the national middle, so a solid-but-not-spectacular academic record is genuinely competitive here.

• The minimum is not the target: The stated minimum GPA is 3, but the average accepted is 3.59, a gap of 0.59. Meeting the floor gets you screened in, not admitted.

• Career-changer friendly: At 300 required patient care hours, this is one of the lower bars in the country, worth a look if you are switching fields and building hours while you apply.

• Faster to practice: At 24 months, this program is shorter than most. That means less tuition and earlier income, but a denser schedule with little slack.

• No extra standardized testing: No GRE, PA-CAT, or CASPer required, one less hurdle if standardized tests are not your strength.

• Ask about board prep: The reported first-time PANCE pass rate is 90%. That is below the national average, a fair question to ask on interview day is what remediation and board prep look like.

• Accreditation status: Probation: ARC-PA currently lists this program as Accreditation-Probation. Programs do come off probation, and students generally remain eligible to sit for the PANCE, but you should read the ARC-PA action report and ask the program directly before depositing.

• Recency matters: Prerequisites expire after 5 years. Older science coursework may need to be retaken.

College of Saint Mary is located in Nebraska. The details below come straight from the program and are re-checked on a rolling basis.

At a glance

• Location: Nebraska

• Institution type: Private

• Program length: 24 months

• Class size: 40 students

• Start month: September

• Application deadline: November

• Rolling admissions: No

• In-state tuition: $88,800

• Average overall GPA: 3.59

• Average science GPA: 3.42

• Minimum overall GPA: 3

• Minimum science GPA: 3

• Minimum PCE hours: 300 hours

• Letters of recommendation: 3

• First-time PANCE pass rate: 90%

• Accreditation status: Probation

Admission requirements

• GRE: No

• PA-CAT: No

• CASPer: No

• TOEFL (international applicants): Yes

• Shadowing: Recommended

• Letters of recommendation: 3, academic and supervisory individuals are preferred

• Patient care experience: 300 hours minimum

• Interview format: on-campus interview

Prerequisites

• Minimum prerequisite grade: C

• Prerequisite expiration: 5 years

• In-progress prerequisites accepted: Yes

• AP or CLEP credit accepted: No

• Pass/Fail coursework accepted: No

Required coursework

• Human Anatomy and Physiology with lab (minimum 8 semester credits). Minimum of one semester of each or two semesters of a combined sequenced course

• Microbiology with lab (minimum 3 credits)

• Upper-level Biology course (lab preferred) (minimum 3 credits)

• General Chemistry with lab (minimum 8 semester credits). Two semesters in a sequenced course

• Organic Chemistry with lab (minimum 4 semester credits). At least one semester as required for Biochemistry (two semesters preferred)

• Biochemistry – Lab recommended but not required. Must be a course for which Organic Chemistry is a prerequisite for it (minimum 3 credits)

• Abnormal Psychology (minimum 3 credits)

• Developmental/Lifespan Psychology (minimum 3 credits)

• Statistics (minimum 3 credits)

• Medical Terminology. Either a college/university course or certificate program will be acceptable. (minimum 1 credit)

Cost

• In-state tuition: $88,800

• Seat deposit: $500

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• Program website: College of Saint Mary

• Admissions page: Admissions information

• Prerequisite details: Prerequisite coursework

• Email: [email protected]

• Phone: (402) 399-2400

• Address: 7000 Mercy Road, Omaha, Nebraska 68106-2377

Program information last verified June 15, 2026. Requirements change, always confirm directly with the program before applying.