Do you have to major in biology for PA school?
No. In the 2024–25 entering class, 27.3% of new PA students majored in biology, so nearly three in four had a major other than "biology," though about 42% had a biology-related major. The programs we checked accept any major. What they require is a bachelor's degree and their prerequisite courses, and your grades in those courses matter.
What new PA students majored in
| Major | Share of 2024–25 matriculants |
|---|---|
| Biology | 27.3% |
| Health science | 11.4% |
| Psychology | 7.1% |
| Biological sciences | 5.8% |
| Biomedical science | 5.7% |
| Exercise science | 5.5% |
| Kinesiology | 4.6% |
| Neuroscience | 4.1% |
| Public health | 3.8% |
| Human biology | 2.9% |
Top 10 majors of 13,195 students who started PA school in the 2024–25 cycle, from PAEA's CASPA matriculation data as reported by The PA Life. Biology-related majors together (biology, biological sciences, biomedical science, human biology) were about 42%.
What programs say
- UNC Chapel Hill: asked whether you need a health sciences degree, its answer is "No," as long as you have a bachelor's (or graduate) degree from a regionally accredited U.S. school and the required prerequisites.
- Albany Medical College: "We accept baccalaureate degrees from any area of study but recommend a science-heavy curriculum."
Why your science grades still matter
CASPA calculates a separate science GPA and a biology, chemistry and physics (BCP) GPA from your classes, whatever your major. Students admitted through the 2024–25 CASPA cycle had a 3.68 cumulative undergraduate GPA and a 3.61 science GPA, according to PAEA data reported by The PA Life.
If you're not a biology major
- List every prerequisite for each program on your list, and map each one to a course you've taken or will take.
- Leave room in your schedule for prerequisites your major doesn't require.
- Check how CASPA will sort your classes, using CASPA's course subject list, so you know what lands in your science GPA.
Related guides
Free: the Patient Care Hours Starter Kit. A 3-step check for whether a job counts at your schools, CASPA's categories on one page, and a simple hours log. Built from the same program pages as this guide.
Get the free kit →Quick answers
Do you have to major in biology for PA school?
No. In the 2024–25 entering class, 27.3% of new PA students majored in biology. These programs require a bachelor's degree and their prerequisite courses; UNC Chapel Hill and Albany Medical College both say any major is accepted.
What do most PA students major in?
In 2024–25, the most common majors were biology (27.3%), health science (11.4%) and psychology (7.1%), from PAEA's CASPA matriculation data.
Sources (all opened October 2026)
- The PA Life: Who gets into PA school (PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–25): https://www.thepalife.com/who-gets-in/
- UNC Chapel Hill PA Program: FAQ: https://www.med.unc.edu/healthsciences/unc-pa/admissions/frequently-asked-questions
- Albany Medical College PA Program: Admissions: https://www.amc.edu/admissions/pa-program-admissions
- CASPA Applicant Help Center: How your GPA is calculated: https://help.liaisonedu.com/CASPA_Applicant_Help_Center/Submitting_and_Monitoring_Your_CASPA_Application/Verification_and_GPA_Calculations_for_CASPA/2_How_Your_GPA_is_Calculated
- CASPA Applicant Help Center: CASPA course subjects: https://help.liaisonedu.com/CASPA_Applicant_Help_Center/Filling_Out_Your_CASPA_Application/CASPA_Academic_History/4_CASPA_Course_Subjects