Tuition + fees $153,027
2026–2027 approved rates for the published six-semester schedule
A closer look
The only PA program in Idaho, with a stated focus on improving access to health care for underserved people in both urban and rural settings.
Mission & approach
We cultivate caring, collaborative physician assistants with a passion to serve and improve the health and well-being of patients and their communities.
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Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Two-stage: (1) file-score ranking from prereq GPA, science GPA, and GRE verbal/quantitative percentiles, plus points for patient/healthcare experience, volunteer, shadowing, leadership, non-healthcare employment, rural background, military, non-English language, intercollegiate activities; (2) holistic Admissions Committee review above threshold to recommend interviews (~150 interviewed).…
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions informationHow this program interviews
Interviews combine a 40-minute group interview with other applicants and a 20-minute one-on-one, plus a student visit, lecture observation and staff meeting, running about 3.5 hours. Applicants may interview digitally or in person and state a campus preference, including Caldwell, at that time.
Source checked Aug 1, 2026. Interview formats and dates can change between cycles.
Program interview informationAdmissions & prerequisites
Admission requirements
Prerequisite coursework
The program does not specify semester credits.Review each course, its lab, and the program’s policies. Your links are planning records; the program decides equivalency.
Courses shown as alternatives in the table are not all required. Confirm the accepted route with the program.
- Psychology prerequisite route: Abnormal psychology OR developmental psychology through lifespan OR Developmental psychology through lifespan alternative
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
MicrobiologyCourse notes & alternativesISU's course equivalency guide lists BIOL 2233, which comes with a co-requisite lab. If you are transferring a microbiology course, confirm with the program that its lab counts. The program does not state a lab minimum for each course. | Not publishedThe program does not specify semester credits. | Not specified | C |
BiochemistryCourse notes & alternativesExamples at ISU: BIOL 4432, BIOL 4445 or BIOL 4447, NTD 4461 or NTD 4485. Courses with "organic" in the title do not qualify. | Not publishedThe program does not specify semester credits. | Not specified | C |
Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II2 course(s)Course notes & alternativesISU's equivalency guide lists two-course A&P sequences, and its examples include co-requisite labs. Confirm with admissions that your transferred courses and labs qualify. No minimum number of credit hours is published. | Not publishedThe program does not specify semester credits. | Not specified | C |
StatisticsCourse notes & alternativesExamples at ISU: MATH 1153, MATH 3350, PSYC 2227 or SOC 3309. Statistics courses from other fields may also qualify. | Not publishedThe program does not specify semester credits. | Not specified | C |
| Abnormal psychology OR developmental psychology through lifespan ISU example: PSYC 3301 Psychopathology, previously titled Abnormal Psychology. | Not publishedThe program does not specify semester credits. | Not specified | C |
| Developmental psychology through lifespan alternative3 course(s) Alternative route requires all three courses: PSYC 2225 Child Development + PSYC 3332 Psychology of Adolescence + PSYC 3344 Adult Development & Aging; must span birth to death. | Not publishedThe program does not specify semester credits. | Not specified | C |
Policies that can change your plan
- Minimum prerequisite GPA
- 3.0 cumulative across the listed prerequisite courses.
- Course age
- Coursework 10 years or older is not accepted.
- Online coursework
- Accepted if from a U.S. regionally accredited institution.
- Institution
- Required coursework from a regionally accredited U.S. institution.
- Transfer alternatives
- Similar-course substitutions are typically not accepted; ask the program about uncertain matches.
- Course credit
- Per-course minimum credit hours are not published.
Idaho State's PA program is run centrally, with cohorts in Pocatello, Meridian, and Caldwell (at the College of Idaho). Caldwell uses the same admission checklist and prerequisites as Pocatello. The ISU course codes listed are examples, not a complete list of accepted courses. Caldwell has 12 seats for 2026–27.
When courses must be complete: All prerequisites must be completed and posted to official transcripts by June 30 of entry year. First-time applicants may have up to two in progress during spring of entry year; reapplicants must have all complete and none in progress at reapplication.
Dates & application steps
Confirm with the program what CASPA processing status is required.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
2026–2027 approved rates for the published six-semester schedule$13,657 semester × 6 documented semesters · Tuition only; required fees shown separately. Future rates may change.
Six-semester estimate at 2026–2027 rates: resident tuition $81,942.00, nonresident tuition $81,942.00, plus $71,085.00 required fees. Tuition and required-fee totals are $153,027.00 resident and $153,027.00 nonresident. Rates may change annually; living, transportation, books and supplies are separate. Caldwell uses one published schedule regardless of residency.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic education
Three semesters move from foundation coursework to primary-care disease modules.
Clinical education
Eight staff-assigned rotations cover seven required content areas and an elective. Students should expect clinical-year travel.
The shared ISU graduate curriculum is 24 months and 120 credits. This profile is Caldwell, offered in partnership with the College of Idaho.
The admitted class
Published class statistics describe the named cohort or population. They are not admission minimums or acceptance probabilities.
The program’s track record
Graduate outcomes
PANCE pass rates
See first-time program performance with clearly dated national context.
- First-time PANCE pass rate: 85%
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 89%
Accreditation history
Accredited-ContinuedThese dates apply to Idaho State University's accredited program as a whole, including the Caldwell campus; they are not Caldwell's opening date. Caldwell was approved effective August 2014. The next accreditation review is January 2035 (an earlier ARC-PA action listed March 2035).
Sources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- CASPA 2027 program description
- ISU 2026-27 Graduate Catalog, campus allocation
- ARC-PA Idaho State University accreditation history (includes Caldwell distant campus)
- Idaho State University-Caldwell program page
- Idaho State University-Caldwell program page
- Idaho State University-Caldwell program page
- Idaho State University-Caldwell program page
- Idaho State University-Caldwell program page
- ISU PA prerequisite course equivalencies, ISU-course examples
- Idaho State University-Caldwell curriculum and clinical training
- Idaho State University-Caldwell program page
About the U.S. News rank
The U.S. News PA rank uses the 2025 PA edition, matched to the listed program and campus. It reflects peer-assessed reputation, not admissions odds or a personal fit score. Programs without a separate entry are labeled “Unranked.”
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