by our College Data Analytics Team
[Physician Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-professions/physician-assistant/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for physician assistant students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physician assistant, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in physician assistant, no school beat Anne Arundel Community College this year. Anne Arundel Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Arnold. In-state tuition and fees average $4,322, compared with $11,522 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for physician assistant graduates is $23,125. Early-career physician assistant graduates make about $59,894. That is a strong return on a $23,125 median debt.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Maryland Eastern Shore one of the best values for physician assistant. Located in the town of Princess Anne, University Of Maryland Eastern Shore is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,076, with out-of-state students paying around $20,122. Physician Assistant graduates carry a median of $26,996 in student loans. Early-career physician assistant graduates make about $39,742. Set against $26,996 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Students looking for strong value in physician assistant will find it at Frostburg State University, which ranked #3. Frostburg State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Frostburg. In-state tuition and fees average $10,220, compared with $25,814 for out-of-state students. Physician Assistant graduates carry a median of $25,340 in student loans. Early-career physician assistant graduates make about $42,798. Set against $25,340 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Frostburg State University admits about 89% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Towson University one of the best values for physician assistant. Set in the city of Towson, Towson University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,728, with out-of-state students paying around $29,820. Students borrow a median of $23,717 to complete the physician assistant program here. Early-career physician assistant graduates make about $118,584. That is a strong return on a $23,717 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.