by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 12 U.S. colleges awarded 135 degrees and certificates in Pre-Physician Assistant. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 90% of graduates. College Factual ranks 4 schools in its 2027 Best Pre-Physician Assistant Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $37,046 one year after completing, rising to $60,109 after four years.
A major in Pre-Physician Assistant involves the study of A Program That Prepares Individuals For Admission To A Professional Physician Assistant Program.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., pre-physician assistant draws strong interest, with 135 degrees awarded annually. 12 colleges award pre-physician assistant degrees, an average of 11 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 32.
By level, the 135 awards include 5 associate degrees, 121 bachelor’s degrees and 9 master’s degrees.
Women earned 87% of pre-physician assistant degrees and certificates in the latest year (118 of 135). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (98) and Asian (16), and international students earned 1.
College Factual ranks 4 schools in its 2027 Best Pre-Physician Assistant Schools ranking, including 4 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks pre-physician assistant schools within 1 state. In all, 12 colleges offer pre-physician assistant programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Pre-Physician Assistant Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
How long a pre-physician assistant degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 5 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 121 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 9 |
Pre-Physician Assistant has 10 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 9,020 degrees a year; the largest are Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other (3,693), Pre-Nursing Studies (2,938) and Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies (1,707). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other | 3,693 |
| Pre-Nursing Studies | 2,938 |
| Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies | 1,707 |
| Pre-Physical Therapy Studies | 260 |
| Pre-Pharmacy Studies | 225 |
| Pre-Occupational Therapy Studies | 107 |
| Pre-Dentistry Studies | 68 |
| Pre-Art Therapy | 18 |
| Pre-Chiropractic Studies | 2 |
| Pre-Optometry Studies | 2 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
