North Central College PA Program: Requirements, Tuition & Stats

• Middle-of-the-pack GPA — The average accepted overall GPA (3.67) 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 3.67 — a gap of 0.67. Meeting the floor gets you screened in, not admitted.

• 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.

• Higher cost — In-state tuition of $121,937 is in the most expensive quarter nationally. Worth weighing against your expected starting salary and loan burden.

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

• 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.

North Central College is located in Illinois. The details below come straight from the program and are re-checked on a rolling basis.

At a glance

• Location: Illinois

• Institution type: Private

• Program length: 24 months

• Class size: 32 students

• Start month: January

• Application deadline: September

• Rolling admissions: Yes

• In-state tuition: $121,937

• Average overall GPA: 3.67

• Average science GPA: 3.57

• Minimum overall GPA: 3

• Minimum science GPA: 3

• Minimum PCE hours: 750 hours

• Letters of recommendation: 3

• First-time PANCE pass rate: 92%

• Accreditation status: Continued

Admission requirements

• GRE: No

• PA-CAT: No

• CASPer: No

• TOEFL (international applicants): Yes

• Supplemental application: No

• Shadowing: Yes

• Letters of recommendation: 3 — It is highly recommended that one letter come from a certified Physician Assistant (PA-C). The second two letters are to be written by a professor or supervisor who can attest to the candidate's academic preparedness and professional attributes.

• Patient care experience: 750 hours minimum

• Interview format: Virtual

Prerequisites

• Minimum prerequisite grade: C

• Prerequisite expiration: 7 years

• In-progress prerequisites accepted: Yes

• AP or CLEP credit accepted: No

• Pass/Fail coursework accepted: Yes

• Online coursework accepted: Yes

Required coursework

• Human Anatomy and Physiology I — 3 semester hours

• Human Anatomy and Physiology II — 3 semester hours

• Microbiology with lab — 3 semester hours

• General or Organic Chemistry with lab — 3 semester hours

• Biochemistry — 3 semester hours

• Science at the 200 level or above (Genetics, Immunology, Cell or Molecular Biology, Organic Chemistry, Neuroscience) — 3 semester hours

• Statistics — 3 semester hours

• Psychology, Social Science, or Behavioral Science — 3 semester hours

• Humanities, Fine Arts or Foreign Language — 3 semester hours

Recommended: Medical terminology course

Cost

• In-state tuition: $121,937

• Seat deposit: $1,500

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• Program website: North Central College

• Admissions page: Admissions information

• Prerequisite details: Prerequisite coursework

• Email: [email protected]

• Phone: 630-637-5555

• Address: 30 N. Brainard Street, Naperville, IL 60540

Program information last verified June 23, 2026. Requirements change — always confirm directly with the program before applying.