Penn State University PA Program: Requirements, Tuition & Stats

• GPA-competitive — The average accepted overall GPA here (3.85) sits in the top quarter of PA programs nationally. If your GPA is below about 3.66, you will want the rest of your application — hours, letters, upward trend — to do real work.

• The minimum is not the target — The stated minimum GPA is 3, but the average accepted is 3.85 — a gap of 0.85. 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 $134,324 is in the most expensive quarter nationally. Worth weighing against your expected starting salary and loan burden.

• Strong PANCE outcomes — A first-time PANCE pass rate of 100% is above the national average.

• 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.

Penn State University is located in Pennsylvania. The details below come straight from the program and are re-checked on a rolling basis.

At a glance

• Location: Pennsylvania

• Institution type: Public

• Program length: 24 months

• Class size: 30 students

• Start month: May

• Application deadline: December

• Rolling admissions: Yes

• In-state tuition: $134,324

• Out-of-state tuition: $137,224

• Average overall GPA: 3.85

• Average science GPA: 3.8

• Minimum overall GPA: 3

• Minimum science GPA: 3

• Minimum PCE hours: 500 hours

• Letters of recommendation: 3

• First-time PANCE pass rate: 100%

• Accreditation status: Continued

Admission requirements

• GRE: Yes

• PA-CAT: No

• CASPer: No

• Supplemental application: Yes (fee $0)

• Letters of recommendation: 3

• Patient care experience: 500 hours minimum

• Interview format: Virtual

Prerequisites

• Minimum prerequisite grade: C

• Prerequisite expiration: 7 years for anatomy, physiology, and microbiology; waived for applicants working full-time in healthcare since completion

• In-progress prerequisites accepted: Yes

• AP or CLEP credit accepted: Yes

• Pass/Fail coursework accepted: Yes

• Online coursework accepted: Yes

Required coursework

• General Biology

• Anatomy and Physiology (two semesters or one semester each)

• Microbiology

• General or Principles of Chemistry

• Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry

• General Psychology

• Statistics or Biostatistics

• English Composition (two semesters, or two writing intensive courses)

Cost

• In-state tuition: $134,324

• Out-of-state tuition: $137,224

• Supplemental application fee: $0

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• Program website: Penn State University

• Admissions page: Admissions information

• Prerequisite details: Prerequisite coursework

• Email: [email protected]

• Phone: 717-531-0003, ext 285595

• Address: 700 HMC Crescent Road, Hershey, PA 17033

Program information last verified June 24, 2026. Requirements change — always confirm directly with the program before applying.