Florida

PA Schools in Florida: All 20 ARC-PA Accredited Programs (2027)

If you are researching PA schools in Florida, you have more options than in almost any other state. Florida has 20 ARC-PA accredited physician assistant (PA) programs at 16 schools. Nova Southeastern University runs four separately accredited Florida campuses, and South University runs two.

I'm Dr. Mario Tomei, a practicing emergency physician, university professor and former medical school admissions committee member. I work with pre-PA students applying to programs in Florida and across the country. This guide lists every accredited PA program in Florida, groups them by region, and explains what it takes to get in.

Last verified: October 2026. Source: the ARC-PA accredited program directory and each program's official website. Accreditation status, program length and admissions requirements change, so confirm details with each program and on CASPA before you apply.

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How Many PA Schools Are in Florida?

Florida has 20 ARC-PA accredited PA programs:

·15 hold Accreditation-Continued, ARC-PA's standard status for established programs.
·4 hold Accreditation-Provisional, the status for newer programs that have not yet graduated their first classes.
·1 is on Accreditation-Probation, meaning ARC-PA found it was not fully meeting its standards. Read the program's current ARC-PA record before applying.

Every program must hold ARC-PA accreditation for its graduates to sit for the PANCE certification exam and become licensed.

PA Schools in Florida at a Glance

The list below covers every ARC-PA accredited PA school in Florida. When comparing programs, applicants should evaluate accreditation status, campus location, prerequisite coursework, patient care hour requirements, and each program's admissions policies. Verify all requirements directly with each program before building your school list.

Program	Location	ARC-PA Status	Length	Apply Via	Links
AdventHealth University	Orlando, FL	Accreditation-Continued	Verify with program	CASPA	University website ARC-PA
Barry University	Miami Shores, FL	Accreditation-Continued	28 months (Master of Clinical Medical Science)	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
Florida Gulf Coast University	Fort Myers, FL	Accreditation-Continued	Verify with program	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
Florida International University	Miami, FL	Accreditation-Continued	27 months	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
Florida State University	Tallahassee, FL	Accreditation-Continued	27 months	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
Gannon University — Ruskin	Ruskin, FL	Accreditation-Continued	Verify with program	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
Larkin University	Miami, FL	Accreditation-Provisional	Verify with program	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
Lincoln Memorial University — Tampa	Tampa, FL	Accreditation-Provisional	Verify with program	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
Miami Dade College	Miami, FL	Accreditation-Probation	Verify with program	CASPA	Academics ARC-PA
Nova Southeastern University — Fort Lauderdale	Fort Lauderdale, FL	Accreditation-Continued	Verify with program	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
Nova Southeastern University — Fort Myers	Fort Myers, FL	Accreditation-Continued	Verify with program	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
Nova Southeastern University — Jacksonville	Jacksonville, FL	Accreditation-Continued	Verify with program	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
Nova Southeastern University — Orlando	Orlando, FL	Accreditation-Continued	Verify with program	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
Palm Beach Atlantic University	West Palm Beach, FL	Accreditation-Provisional	Verify with program	CASPA	Academics ARC-PA
South College — Orlando	Orlando, FL	Accreditation-Provisional	Verify with program	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
South University — Tampa	Tampa, FL	Accreditation-Continued	Verify with program	CASPA	University website ARC-PA
South University — West Palm Beach	West Palm Beach, FL	Accreditation-Continued	Verify with program	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
University of Florida	Gainesville, FL	Accreditation-Continued	Verify with program	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
University of South Florida	Tampa, FL	Accreditation-Continued	24 months	CASPA	Admissions ARC-PA
University of Tampa	Tampa, FL	Accreditation-Continued	Verify with program	CASPA	College of Natural and Health Sciences ARC-PA

Florida PA Programs by Region

South Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach): Barry University (Miami Shores), Florida International University (Miami), Larkin University (Miami), Miami Dade College (Miami), Nova Southeastern University – Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach Atlantic University (West Palm Beach), South University – West Palm Beach

Tampa Bay: University of South Florida (Tampa), University of Tampa, South University – Tampa, Lincoln Memorial University – Tampa, Gannon University (Ruskin). Barry University also enrolls part of each class at its St. Petersburg location.

Central Florida (Orlando): AdventHealth University, Nova Southeastern University – Orlando, South College – Orlando

Southwest Florida (Fort Myers): Florida Gulf Coast University, Nova Southeastern University – Fort Myers

North Florida: University of Florida (Gainesville), Florida State University (Tallahassee), Nova Southeastern University – Jacksonville

Public vs. Private PA Programs in Florida

Florida's public universities with PA programs are the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of South Florida, Florida International University and Florida Gulf Coast University. Miami Dade College, a public state college, also offers a PA program. Public programs usually cost Florida residents much less than private programs, and they tend to draw the most applicants.

The other Florida programs are at private universities. Check the total cost of attendance, not just tuition, before you build your list.

Program Length at Florida PA Schools

Most Florida PA programs take about 24 to 28 months. A few examples from official program websites:

·University of South Florida: 24 months
·Florida State University: 27 months (Master of Science in Physician Assistant Practice)
·Florida International University: 27 months
·Barry University: 28 months (Master of Clinical Medical Science)

Confirm length, start dates and cost on each program's website.

How to Get Into PA School in Florida

Dr. Tomei's Perspective

Florida's public programs are among the most competitive in the Southeast, and in-state applicants are competing with one another for a limited number of seats. Meeting a program's minimums is a floor, not a ceiling.

·Build real patient care experience. Many Florida programs expect substantial direct patient care hours, and Barry University notes that its most competitive applicants have more than 1,000. Roles such as EMT, CNA, medical assistant and scribe are common starting points. See our guide to patient care hours in Florida.
·Check prerequisites program by program. Requirements differ on biochemistry, statistics, psychology and how recent your science courses must be. See Florida PA prerequisites.
·Confirm testing policies. Some programs have dropped the GRE (Barry no longer requires it), while others still require the GRE or PA-CAT. Check each one.
·Apply early on CASPA. Many Florida programs use rolling admissions.
·Shadow a PA and write program-specific essays. Programs want to see that you understand the PA role and why each program fits you.

Frequently Asked Questions About PA Schools in Florida

How many PA schools are in Florida?

Florida has 20 ARC-PA accredited PA programs at 16 schools. Nova Southeastern University has four separately accredited Florida campuses (Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville and Orlando), and South University has two (Tampa and West Palm Beach).

What are the public PA schools in Florida?

The University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of South Florida, Florida International University and Florida Gulf Coast University. Miami Dade College, a public state college, also has a PA program.

What is the UF PA program acceptance rate?

The University of Florida does not publish a single acceptance rate on its program website. UF admits about 60 new students each year and reports a five-year average first-time board pass rate of 97%. Check UF's admissions page for current class statistics.

What are FSU's PA school requirements?

FSU's program is a 27-month Master of Science in Physician Assistant Practice in the FSU College of Medicine. Prerequisites, patient care expectations and testing policies are listed on the program's admissions pages, so check them there before applying.

Does UCF have a PA program?

The University of Central Florida is not on ARC-PA's list of accredited PA programs. Orlando-area applicants can look at AdventHealth University, Nova Southeastern University – Orlando and South College – Orlando.

Which Florida PA programs are newest?

Larkin University, Lincoln Memorial University – Tampa, Palm Beach Atlantic University and South College – Orlando hold Accreditation-Provisional status, which means they are newer programs that have not yet graduated their first classes. Provisional programs are fully able to graduate PANCE-eligible PAs, but they have less outcome data, such as PANCE pass rates, to show you.

Last verified: October 2026 · Source: ARC-PA Entry-Level Program Directory and official university admissions websites. Accreditation statuses, program details, and admissions requirements change — always verify directly with each program and on the ARC-PA directory before applying.

Continue Your Florida PA Research

Florida PA Prerequisites Patient Care Hours in Florida National PA School Requirements

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