Physician Assistant Program
Pending ABOR Approval
Program Fee Request
University: University of Arizona
College / School: College of Health Sciences
Department: Dept. of Clinical Health Professionals
Program: Physician Assistant Program
Graduate Program
Resident: Proposed fee: $7,000.00 / Semester; Effective Date: Fall 2026
Non-Resident: Proposed fee: $7,000.00 / Semester; Effective Date: Fall 2026
Other Applicable Fees in School / Program: none
Purpose
Tuition and program fees include the UArizona graduate tuition rates plus requested program fees and mandatory fees. The program fee supports student expenses related to our specialized needs required for high quality education for health care professionals. The students will directly benefit these funds from their time in the program and allow us to meet the operational costs of our PA program. The program is paid each fall, spring and summer term of they are enrolled in the program. This is a 28-month program. The total number of semesters including summer term of the program fee is 5 semesters of program assessment including the summer of the 2nd year. These fees are in alignment with the NAU PA Program and still provide the program to be extremely competitive with our private institutions throughout the state and country.
Justification
The University of Arizona Physician Assistant (PA) program is being developed to address Arizona's current and projected shortages of primary care providers. The cost of this program is high due to the rigor of the curriculum, the total number of credits (107) and the cost of operations required by the PA profession's external accrediting agency. PAs are in high demand and graduates have significant job opportunities that provide average salaries above $120,000 annually. The costs related to clinical education are also includes in the fees being requested as the private institutions are paying for clinical site placements. It is out intention to partner with clinical training sites to offset the costs of managing student learning while building meaningful bidirectional partnerships that support rural, indigenous, and primary care practices throughout the state.
Student Consultation
The PA program has not started, but the costs project to provide significant educational excellence at a very competitive price as compared to our institutional peers. In accordance with accreditation requirements, tuition and program fees will be posted on the application website to clearly establish costs when recruiting the first class. Conversations with many pre-PA students and groups from the University of Arizona have provided significant excitement for them to have the option to remain in Tucson for their graduate education and training.
Market Pricing
| Institution | Degree | Annual Price | ||
Resident | Nonresident | Online | ||
| Creighton Univ. - Phx (private) | PA - total program tuition and fees | $97,237 | $97,237 | |
| University of the Pacific (private) | PA - total program tuition and fees | $153,846.00 | $153,846.00 | |
| University of New Mexico | PA - total program tuition and fees | $66,940.00 | $102,611.00 | |
| Midwestern Univ-Phx(private) | PA - total program tuition and fees | $130,666.00 | $130,666.00 | |
| Franklin Pierce University (private) | PA - total program tuition and fees | $122,955.00 | $122,955.00 | |
| AT Still - Phx (private) | PA - total program tuition and fees | $117,440.00 | $117,440.00 | |
| University of Utah | PA - total program tuition and fees | $82,172.00 | $122,466.00 | |
| Northern AZ Univ - Flagstaff | PA - total program tuition and fees | $83,780.00 | $118,764.00 | |
| University of Colorado | PA - total program tuition and fees | $62,713.00 | $90,221.00 | |
| University of Arizona | PA - total program tuition and fees | $84,602.00 | $132,737.00 | |
Budget
Financial Aid Set Aside (FSA) Amount: 14.0%
| Program Fee | $14,000.00 |
| Number of Students | 100 |
| Total Revenue | $1,400,000.00 |
Proposed Annual Expenditures
| Proposed Annual Expenditures | $196,000.00 |
| Administrative Service Charge |
|
| Faculty & Staff | $669,000.00 |
| Operating Costs | $325,000.00 |
| Simulation | $10,000.00 |
| Equipment repair/replacement | $150,000.00 |
| Technology & Software | $50,000.00 |
| Total Program Costs | $1,400,000.00 |