If you want to be a pharmacist, researching the top pharmacy schools in the United States is essential. You’ll want to gain as much exposure to this innovative sector as possible. To assist you, we’ve examined the finest pharmacy colleges in the United States right now. Following that, we’ll sort the most recent top 50 institutions.
What Does a Pharmacy School Entail?
To become a licensed pharmacist, you must complete four years of formal education at an authorized college of pharmacy and get a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
Pre-pharmacy undergraduate programs require students to finish at least 60 to 90 credit hours of undergraduate education in both fundamental and advanced sciences in order to be admitted to a pharmacy school. Many pharmacy schools provide candidates with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry, biology, or a related field advantage in admissions.
Other prerequisites differ by school, but many require prospective pharmacy students to take and pass the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), a standardized test that evaluates prospective pharmacy students’ skills in biology, chemistry, writing, quantitative thinking, and critical reading. It’s a multiple-choice exam with no defined “passing score”; instead, each pharmacy school establishes its own.
What Is The Average Length of Time It Takes to Become a Pharmacist?
The time it takes to finish a Pharm.D. degree and begin practicing is determined by the program you select. The majority of stand-alone Pharm.D. programs last four years. It will take eight years to become a pharmacist if you earn a bachelor’s degree before joining your program, but you can start practicing sooner if you enroll after two or three years of undergraduate study. Some Pharm.D. programs admit students straight from high school, and these programs last six years.
How Much Money Does a Pharmacist Make?
In 2012, pharmacists earned an average of $116,670 per year in the United States. In that year, the top ten percent of earners in this sector earned more than $145,910, while the bottom ten percent earned less than $89,280.
Do You Need to be Certified or Licenced?
All states need pharmacists to get a license before they may practice. Completing an authorized Pharm.D. school and passing two licensing exams, the North American Pharmacist Licensing Exam (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam, are normally required for licensure (MPJE).
9 Best Pharmacy Schools in the United States
In the United States, there are more than 120 pharmacies. While each university provides the essential curriculum to become a certified pharmacist, we’ve compiled a list of the finest of the best below.
9. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina’s Eshelman School of Pharmacy is a pharmacy school. It is considered to be one of the best pharmacy schools in the country. The pharmacy programs available here are aimed towards preparing top-level pharmacists. At this academic institution, pharmacists can pursue one of the three-degree programs:
- Pharmacist, Doctor
- PharmD
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), which provides advanced training in the creation, distribution, and policy of pharmaceuticals through a custom-designed programme. It also provides students with pharmacological medicine research experience.
Here’s how to apply to The University of North Carolina.
8. University of Georgia
The University of Georgia’s College of Pharmacy houses the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences. For aspiring pharmacists, this department provides a variety of curricula, including:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree
- PharmD
- Pharmaceutical Care in the Clinic and Administration
- Biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences
- Clinical Trials and Regulatory Affairs
Here’s how you can apply to The University of Georgia.
7. The University of Florida
Students can acquire a PharmD degree from the University of Florida’s College of Pharmacy in one of two programs: one for students seeking their first professional PharmD degree and another for licensed pharmacists seeking to upgrade their Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy (the Working Professional PharmD or WPPD program).
There are a variety of dual degree programs available that allow students to receive two degrees at the same time, including:
- Master of Public Health and PharmD (MPH)
- MBA and PharmD
- PhD and PharmD
Here’s how you can apply to The University of Florida.
6. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
The University of Minnesota’s College of Pharmacy, with locations in Duluth and Twin Cities, Minnesota, provides a variety of degrees in pharmaceutical medicine. Among these programs are:
- Pharmacy Doctor
- Several dual degree courses are available.
- A variety of graduate degrees, including integrated biological sciences and medicinal chemistry, are available.
- A residency course in pharmacy for postgraduate students
In addition to these degrees, the University of Minnesota provides continuous professional development for pharmacists who want to continue their studies beyond graduation.
Here’s how you can apply to The University Of Minnesota.
5. University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, which is located in Austin, Texas, offers prospective pharmacists with the education and training they need to start a successful career as a pharmacist.
The course covers a variety of topics related to prescription drugs, including:
- Pharmaceutics and biochemistry
- Biopharmaceutics
- Pharmacotherapy
- Biochemistry of pharmaceuticals
- Pharmacy legislation and pharmacoeconomics
Students must also conduct an internship under the supervision of a practicing faculty member.
Here’s how to apply to The University of Texas at Austin.
4. University of Southern California, San Francisco (UCSF)
UCSF’s School of Pharmacy, which is located in San Francisco, provides a variety of degree programs for aspiring pharmacists, including:
- Translational Medicine Master’s Degree
- PharmD
- PharmD and M.S. in Clinical Research (MSCR)
PharmD and Ph.D. (PhD). Bioengineering, biophysics, biological and medical informatics, pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacogenomics, as well as chemistry and biology, are among the PhD programs offered at UCSF.
Here’s how to apply to The University of Southern California, San Francisco.
3. Texas A&M University Rangel College of Pharmacy
For aspiring pharmacists, Texas A&M University’s Rangel College of Pharmacy offers many majors, including:
- PharmD
- Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Ph.D. in Pharmacy (MBA)
The college, which is located in College Station, Texas, also provides a variety of different degree programs as well as practical experience, which students can begin in their second year of studies.
Here’s how to apply to Texas A&M University Rangel College of Pharmacy.
2. University of Buffalo
Pharmaceutical Science is a Bachelor of Science program offered by the University of Buffalo’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The school also provides a Pharmaceutical Sciences Accelerated BS/MS Program, which allows students to complete their BS/MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences in five years. Other alternatives for programs include:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Master’s Degree
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Phd.
- PharmD. Students can acquire one of the following combined degrees through this programme:
- MBA and PharmD
- MPH and PharmD
- Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences and PharmD (MS)
- PhD and PharmD
- PharmD and Juris Doctor are two different kind of degrees (JD)
Here’s how to apply to The University of Buffalo.
1. College of Pharmacy at University of Illinois at Chicago
For students interested in becoming pharmacists, the University of Illinois at Chicago’s College of Pharmacy provides combined degree opportunities. Among these are:
- PhD and PharmD
- Master’s degree in health informatics and a Ph.D. in pharmacy (MSHI)
- MBA with a PharmD
- Clinical and Translational Science Master’s Degree and PharmD (MS CTS)
There are other four Ph.D. courses to choose from, including:
- Chemistry of Drugs
- Biopharmaceutical Sciences
- Pharmacognosy
- Outcomes, Policy, and Pharmacy Systems
A Master of Science in Forensic Science is also available at the institution.
Here’s how to apply to The College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.