PA school GPA requirements
At most of the programs we checked, the minimum is 3.0, for both your overall and your science GPA. George Washington sets 3.2. James Madison only recommends a 3.0. At least four of them (George Washington, South Alabama, Pacific and USF) say they use the GPAs CASPA calculates, which count every attempt at every course. A minimum makes you eligible to be considered. It doesn't get you in: OHSU says students admitted last cycle averaged a 3.5 GPA and a 3.4 BCP GPA.
The GPAs CASPA calculates
- Cumulative undergraduate: all undergraduate and post-baccalaureate courses, science and non-science.
- Overall: the same, plus graduate courses.
- Science: biology/zoology, chemistry (inorganic, organic and biochemistry), physics and other sciences.
- BCP: biology, chemistry and physics only, leaving out "other science."
- Non-science: math, English, behavioral science and other non-science.
CASPA counts every attempt, even if your school replaced the old grade. Non-graded credits, like AP and pass/fail, aren't in your GPAs, and a WF counts as an F. CASPA assigns each course a subject from its title and department prefix on your official transcript, not its content. You can ask CASPA to fix a wrongly assigned subject, but not which GPA a subject counts toward; if you think a GPA was miscalculated, you can send CASPA your own calculation. CASPA's guide notes that it's "not uncommon" for the CASPA GPA to differ from the one your school calculates.
Minimums at eight programs
| Program | Overall or cumulative | Science | Also on the page |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Washington page checked Oct 2026 | 3.2 cumulative | 3.2 overall science | Uses CASPA's GPAs from coursework completed when you apply; grade updates after you submit aren't accepted |
| Baylor Sept 2027 start; applications closed Oct 1, 2026 | 3.00 cumulative | 3.00 overall science (new for the class entering fall 2027) | 3.00 prerequisite GPA. Under a 3.0 cumulative, you may still be eligible with a 3.5 or higher over your last 60 semester (90 quarter) hours. That only replaces the cumulative minimum; the 3.00 science and prerequisite GPAs still apply |
| University of South Alabama page checked Oct 2026 | 3.0 overall | 3.0 science | Also a 3.0 in your last 60 hours, all as calculated by CASPA |
| OHSU page checked Oct 2026 | 3.0 cumulative (all undergraduate courses) | 3.0 BCP | Students admitted last cycle averaged 3.5 GPA and 3.4 BCP |
| Pacific page checked Oct 2026 | 3.0 overall | 3.0 overall science | Uses CASPA's calculated GPAs |
| USF page checked Oct 2026 | 3.0 overall | 3.0 science | Uses CASPA's GPAs and doesn't recalculate; meeting the minimum "does not guarantee an interview or admission" |
| Emory 2026–27 | 3.0 cumulative | 3.0 science | – |
| James Madison page checked Oct 2026 | 3.0 recommended, not required | Not stated | Says most admitted students have an overall GPA higher than 3.0 |
Examples, not a ranking. Some of these cycles' deadlines have already passed; check each page again when your cycle's requirements post.
What admitted students had
PAEA's CASPA data for students who started PA school from the 2024–25 cycle, as reported by The PA Life, show a 3.68 cumulative undergraduate GPA and a 3.61 science GPA. The PA Life describes these as the "average admit," though its table doesn't say whether they are means or medians.
Grades you're still waiting on
CASPA calculates your GPA once, when it verifies your application, so courses still in progress aren't in the GPA programs see. Updated grades sent later aren't verified or added to your CASPA GPA; programs can see them and may update your GPA themselves, and some, like George Washington, won't consider them at all. If you're near a minimum, check whether the programs on your list would see your final grades before you decide when to submit.
Check your GPA the way CASPA will
- Gather every transcript, including community college and college courses you took in high school, and list every graded attempt at every course. Leave out AP and pass/fail credits; count a WF as an F.
- Assign each course the CASPA subject that matches its transcript title and department prefix, using CASPA's course subject list, then work out your overall, science and BCP GPAs.
- Match each program's wording. "Cumulative," "overall," "science," "BCP" and "prerequisite" are different numbers.
- If you're close to a minimum, don't count on rounding. The University of Maryland, Baltimore says that if your CASPA cumulative or science GPA is below 3.0, you aren't eligible, and it "will not be rounded up."
- Look for alternate routes, like Baylor's last-60-hours rule, and read our guide to how retakes count before you retake anything.
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
What is the minimum GPA for PA school?
At most of the programs we checked, 3.0 for both overall and science GPA. George Washington requires 3.2, and James Madison only recommends 3.0. Admitted students usually have more: nationally, students who started from the 2024–25 cycle had about a 3.68, and OHSU's students admitted last cycle averaged 3.5 overall and 3.4 BCP.
What is the difference between science GPA and BCP GPA on CASPA?
CASPA's science GPA includes biology/zoology, chemistry, physics and other sciences. The BCP GPA includes only biology, chemistry and physics.
Does CASPA include retaken classes in your GPA?
Yes. CASPA counts every attempt, even if your school replaced the earlier grade.
Sources (all opened October 2026)
- CASPA Applicant Guide 2026–27 (PAEA): https://e1.nmcdn.io/assets/paea/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CASPA-Applicant-Guide-26-27-Final.pdf
- 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
- CASPA Applicant Help Center: Disputing and correcting course subjects and GPAs: https://help.liaisonedu.com/CASPA_Applicant_Help_Center/Submitting_and_Monitoring_Your_CASPA_Application/Verification_and_GPA_Calculations_for_CASPA/Disputing_and_Correcting_CASPA_Course_Subjects_and_GPAs
- CASPA Applicant Help Center: Updating your CASPA application: https://help.liaisonedu.com/CASPA_Applicant_Help_Center/Submitting_and_Monitoring_Your_CASPA_Application/Before_and_After_You_Submit_Your_CASPA_Application/6_Updating_Your_CASPA_Application
- George Washington University PA Program: Admission requirements: https://physicianassistant.smhs.gwu.edu/admission-requirements
- Baylor University PA Program: Admission requirements (Sept 2027 start): https://physicianassistant.robbins.baylor.edu/admissions/admission-requirements
- University of South Alabama PA Program: Admissions: https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/alliedhealth/pa/admissions.html
- OHSU PA Program: Admissions requirements: https://www.ohsu.edu/school-of-medicine/physician-assistant/requirements
- University of the Pacific PA Program: Prerequisites: https://www.pacific.edu/healthsciences/programs/master-of-physician-assistant-studies/physician-assistant-program-prerequisites
- USF Health PA Program: Admissions requirements: https://health.usf.edu/medicine/pa/prospective-students/requirements
- Emory PA Program: Admissions requirements (2026–27): https://med.emory.edu/departments/family-preventive/divisions-programs/physician-assistant-program/admissions/requirements.html
- James Madison University PA Program: Application process FAQs: https://www.jmu.edu/chbs/healthprof/pa/admission-faq.shtml
- University of Maryland Baltimore PA Program: Admissions handbook 2026–27: https://graduate.umaryland.edu/media/graduate-school/documents/pa-documents/Admissions_Handbook_2026_2027remupdated626.pdf
- The PA Life: Who gets into PA school (PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–25): https://www.thepalife.com/who-gets-in/