2023 Best Value Colleges for Physician Assistant (Income $30-$48k) in Pennsylvania
17
Ranked Colleges
1,216
Degrees Awarded
$21,400
Avg Net Price*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 11,351 people earned their degree in physician assistant, making the major the 71st most popular in the United States.
Across Pennsylvania, there were 1,216 physician assistant graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 17 colleges that offered a degree in physician assistant. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great physician assistant programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the physician assistant program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The physician assistant school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k”.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 17 Best Value Colleges for Physician Assistant (Income $30-$48k) in Pennsylvania
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Thomas Jefferson University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 121 degrees to qualified ’s physician assistant students in 2020-2021.
Thomas Jefferson University also made our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Thomas Jefferson University is $22,926 for Pennsylvania Physician Assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Physician Assistant at Thomas Jefferson University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Gannon University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k. This small school is located in Erie, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 57 ’s physician assistant degrees in 2020-2021.
Gannon also made our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Gannon University is $18,377 for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Gannon University Physician Assistant Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school handed out 42 degrees to qualified ’s physician assistant students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k list, SRU has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is $15,507 for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full SRU Physician Assistant Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Marywood University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k. Marywood University is located in Scranton, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 53 ’s physician assistant degrees to qualified students.
Marywood also took the #7 spot in our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $18,171 for Pennsylvania Physician Assistant students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Marywood University.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Marywood Physician Assistant Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Temple University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large public school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified ’s physician assistant students in 2020-2021.
Temple did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $19,355 for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Temple.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physician Assistant at Temple
Lock Haven University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. LHU is a small school located in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania that handed out 19 ’s physician assistant degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at LHU, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lock Haven University is $17,898 for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Physician Assistant at LHU
University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Pitt is a large school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that handed out 47 ’s physician assistant degrees in 2020-2021.
Pitt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Pitt is $17,691 for Pennsylvania Physician Assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Physician Assistant at Pitt
Seton Hill University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Seton Hill University is a small school located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania that handed out 40 ’s physician assistant degrees in 2020-2021.
Seton Hill not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Seton Hill is $19,326 for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Physician Assistant at Seton Hill University
Duquesne University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 91 degrees to qualified ’s physician assistant students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k list, Duquesne has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $22,219 for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Duquesne University.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Physician Assistant at Duquesne University
King’s College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 65 degrees to qualified ’s physician assistant students in 2020-2021.
King’s College PA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend King’s College is $23,439 for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Physician Assistant at King’s College PA
Chatham University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 73 ’s physician assistant degrees in 2020-2021.
Chatham not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Chatham is $23,065 for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Physician Assistant at Chatham University
Mercyhurst University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Erie, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 30 degrees to qualified ’s physician assistant students in 2020-2021.
Mercyhurst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Mercyhurst University is $23,656 for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Physician Assistant at Mercyhurst University
Saint Francis University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Saint Francis University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Loretto, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 100 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Saint Francis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Francis is $23,249 for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Physician Assistant at Saint Francis
Pennsylvania College of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Pennsylvania College of Technology is a small public school situated in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It awarded 22 ’s physician assistant degrees in 2020-2021.
Penn College also made our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Pennsylvania College of Technology is $22,232 for Pennsylvania Physician Assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Physician Assistant at Penn College
With a ranking of #15, DeSales University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Center Valley, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physician assistant degrees to 77 students in 2020-2021.
DeSales did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $22,741 for Pennsylvania Physician Assistant students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend DeSales.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physician Assistant at DeSales University
Drexel University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 74 degrees to qualified ’s physician assistant students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Drexel, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Drexel University is $28,998 for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Physician Assistant at Drexel
Arcadia University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. This small school is located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 100 ’s physician assistant degrees in 2020-2021.
Arcadia also made our “Best Physician Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $25,459 for pennsylvania physician assistant students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Arcadia University.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Physician Assistant at Arcadia University
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.