Physician Assistant Master’s Degree Program Guide

Physician assistants (PAs) enjoy many of the same perks as doctors without the lengthy medical school requirement. Entering into this high-paying, fast-growing profession requires you to pursue a physician assistant master’s degree to help you develop the skills needed to excel as a PA.

Physician assistant master’s degree programs prepare you to become a practicing PA.

You’ll graduate with a master of physician assistant studies (MPAS) degree, which is required to become a physician assistant in all 50 U.S. states. These graduate-level programs include a mix of classroom and hands-on clinical experiences. According to the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA), you’ll need to complete more than 2,000 hours of clinical rotations to graduate with a master’s degree.

PA master’s programs typically also require thousands of hours of clinical experience just to be accepted. This means these programs are great for those already in the medical profession, such as registered nurses and medical assistants, who want to grow into a new healthcare profession.

PAs often have many of the same responsibilities as physicians, but PAs work under the supervision of a medical doctor (MD).

PA school is much quicker than medical school. While a PA program typically takes just over two years to complete, becoming a physician often requires seven or more years of study after finishing undergrad.

PA master’s programs offer courses centered on healthcare. Typically, PAs don’t pursue specializations like an MD might, but some programs do offer concentrations including:

No matter the concentration, there are a handful of universal courses all PA students must take, including:

The goal is to equip aspiring PAs with a broad range of medical expertise.

There is no way to become a PA without first earning a physician assistant master’s degree. Here’s what you’ll need to know to attain this degree.

PA master’s programs typically take 27 months to complete, according to the AAPA. The credits required vary by program.

You can earn a physician assistant master’s degree through an online program. However, you can’t become a certified PA entirely online, as you’ll still need to complete your clinical rotations in person.

There are no accelerated options for earning a master of physician assistant studies.

Each physician assistant master’s program may have different application requirements.

Still, there are some common requirements across most master’s programs:

If possible, you should apply to multiple graduate schools. This not only increases your chances of being accepted into a program you like, but it also enables you to consider different financial aid offers.

Two years of a master’s program typically costs $71,400, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

However, master’s degree costs can vary depending on the type of institution. For example, in 2023, the average cost of two years of a master’s program at a public university was $59,440, and it was $51,060 at private, for-profit institutions. The cost of a master’s degree at a private, nonprofit university was $85,400, which was above the national average.

The median cost of a fully online master’s program is about $24,290 per year, while the median cost of a hybrid program was $35,280 in 2023.

You should first understand where a PA master’s degree could lead you before enrolling in any program.

Typically, if you earn a master of physician assistant studies degree, you’re doing so to pursue a career as a physician assistant. Programs may offer concentrations in areas like pediatrics or general surgery. More often than not, PAs practice generally and may administer care in a wide variety of settings.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects jobs for PAs to grow 28% between 2023 and 2033. For reference, the average employment growth for all occupations during that period is 4%.

You’ll need to earn a license to practice as a PA in your state. That includes passing the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination.

The median annual salary for PAs was $130,020 in 2023, according to the BLS. That’s more than double the median salary across all occupations ($48,060).

Wages can also vary depending on what setting you work in. Per the BLS, PAs at outpatient care centers earned a median of $141,050, while those working in educational services earned $115,160.

Experience can also greatly affect your pay.

You must meet continuing education requirements to stay certified as a PA.

All certified PAs must complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years. According to the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, continuing education credits are earned through online programs.

Some PAs also go on to earn doctoral degrees, but this is fairly rare. PAs who earn doctorates often aim to work as professors at a college or university.

Earning a certificate of added qualification (CAQ) can help you advance your career and allow you to specialize in a specific practice. For example, you can earn a CAQ in subjects like dermatology, occupational medicine, or pediatrics.