2026 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Virginia

[Physician Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-professions/physician-assistant/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value physician assistant schools.
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2026 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physician assistant, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Physician Assistant Schools
Radford University tops our 2026 list of the best value physician assistant schools in Virginia. Located in the town of Radford, Radford University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,548, with out-of-state students paying around $25,633. Typical student debt for physician assistant graduates is $25,250. Early-career physician assistant graduates make about $83,490. Set against $25,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in physician assistant will find it at Lynchburg College, which ranked #2. Lynchburg College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lynchburg. Students from in state pay about $36,750 in tuition and fees. Early-career physician assistant graduates make about $138,322. Roughly 43% of applicants are accepted.
Mary Baldwin College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in physician assistant, landing the #3 spot this year. Mary Baldwin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Staunton. Students from in state pay about $21,187 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for physician assistant graduates is $29,562. Physician Assistant graduates of Mary Baldwin College earn a median of $105,021 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in physician assistant will find it at Emory And Henry College, which ranked #4. Emory And Henry College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Emory. In-state tuition and fees average $39,000. Physician Assistant graduates carry a median of $26,938 in student loans. Soon after graduation, physician assistant degree recipients from Emory And Henry College generally make around $47,255. That is a strong return on a $26,938 median debt. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes James Madison University one of the best values for physician assistant. James Madison University is a very large public school located in the city of Harrisonburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,966, while out-of-state students pay about $31,312. Typical student debt for physician assistant graduates is $21,218. Soon after graduation, physician assistant degree recipients from James Madison University generally make around $120,817. That is a strong return on a $21,218 median debt. James Madison University admits about 72% of applicants.
South Universityrichmond placed #6 among the best values for physician assistant. South Universityrichmond is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Glen Allen. Students from in state pay about $17,895 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for physician assistant graduates is $51,009. Physician Assistant graduates of South Universityrichmond earn a median of $107,029 early in their careers. Set against $51,009 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Shenandoah University landed the #7 spot for physician assistant value this year. Shenandoah University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Winchester. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $36,950. Typical student debt for physician assistant graduates is $26,005. Physician Assistant graduates of Shenandoah University earn a median of $100,464 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,005 median debt. Shenandoah University admits about 77% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.