James Madison University PA Program: Requirements, Tuition & Stats

• Middle-of-the-pack GPA — The average accepted overall GPA (3.55) 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 3.55 — a gap of 0.55. Meeting the floor gets you screened in, not admitted.

• Experience-heavy — A 1,000-hour patient care minimum is at or above the national 75th percentile. Plan on a year or more of full-time work before you apply.

• Lower cost — In-state tuition of $75,705 is in the least expensive quarter of PA programs. Over a career that difference is real money.

• Residency matters — Out-of-state tuition ($93,833) runs 24% above in-state. If you can establish residency, this program gets substantially cheaper.

• Apply early — Admissions are rolling, so seats come off the board as the cycle goes. An application submitted in the first few weeks is worth more than the same application submitted in month four.

• Stricter prerequisite grades — A minimum of B in prerequisites is tougher than the typical C. Recheck your transcript before you invest in the application.

James Madison University is located in Virginia. The details below come straight from the program and are re-checked on a rolling basis.

At a glance

• Location: Virginia

• Institution type: Public

• Program length: 28 months

• Class size: 36 students

• Start month: August

• Application deadline: June

• Rolling admissions: Yes

• In-state tuition: $75,705

• Out-of-state tuition: $93,833

• Average overall GPA: 3.55

• Average science GPA: 3.51

• Minimum overall GPA: 3

• Minimum PCE hours: 1,000 hours

• Letters of recommendation: 3

• First-time PANCE pass rate: 94%

• Accreditation status: Continued

Admission requirements

• GRE: Yes (minimum 25th percentile in any of the three sections is considered a red flag)

• PA-CAT: No

• CASPer: No

• TOEFL (international applicants): Yes

• Supplemental application: Yes (fee $60)

• Shadowing: No

• Letters of recommendation: 3 — Letters are best from prior supervisors/employers, university professors, and/or medical professionals (clinicians) who have observed you working or volunteering in a patient care environment

• Patient care experience: 1,000 hours minimum

• Interview format: .

Prerequisites

• Minimum prerequisite grade: B

• Prerequisite expiration: 7 years

• In-progress prerequisites accepted: Yes

• AP or CLEP credit accepted: No

• Pass/Fail coursework accepted: No

• Online coursework accepted: Yes

Required coursework

• ANATOMY (human or mammalian) — a one semester course, lab required (in-person lab preferred, but online is acceptable), must have been completed within 7 years of matriculation

• PHYSIOLOGY (human or mammalian) — a one semester course, no lab required, must have been completed within 7 years of matriculation

• BIOCHEMISTRY — a one semester course, no lab required, must have been completed within 7 years of matriculation, Organic Chemistry does NOT meet this requirement

• GENETICS — a one semester course, no lab required, must have been completed within 7 years of matriculation

• MICROBIOLOGY — a one semester course, no lab required, must have been completed within 7 years of matriculation

• MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY — a one semester course, no lab required, can have been completed within any number of years, must be taken for credit (generates a transcript) – it CANNOT be a certificate

Cost

• In-state tuition: $75,705

• Out-of-state tuition: $93,833

• Supplemental application fee: $60

• Seat deposit: $1,000

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• Program website: James Madison University

• Admissions page: Admissions information

• Prerequisite details: Prerequisite coursework

• Email: [email protected]

• Phone: (540) 568-7658

• Address: Department of Health Professions Health and Behavioral Studies Building, MSC 4315, 235 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807

Program information last verified June 17, 2026. Requirements change — always confirm directly with the program before applying.