The Best Pharmacy School by Rankings: How to Find Value

Published on: Nov 6, 2022
By: Jim Herbst, PharmD, BCPPS

The Best Pharmacy Schools by Rank

The most recognized ranking of the Best Pharmacy Schools in America is the US News & World Report Best Grade Schools Rankings. This ranking looks at Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs and ranks them on a scale of 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding). The most current rankings are from 2020 and rank 134 schools. These rankings are displayed below as the Top Tier, the Top Quartile, the Middle Fifty, and the Bottom Quartile.

Before putting too much emphasis on a pharmacy school ranking, it is important to note that a ranking is only as good as the methodology used to determine it. More information regarding how these rankings were determined is included below the chart.

It is also important to note that the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) is the national organization representing the interests of pharmacy school education in the United States. This organization does not have a pharmacy school ranking and does not recommend any particular publication with one.

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) is ultimately responsible for accrediting new colleges or schools of pharmacy and re-accrediting existing ones. This organization certifies that a very high minimum standard is upheld when granting a pharmacy school or college formal accreditation. No publication could possess a body of knowledge comparable to the ACPE or the AACP, so you should not consider one program superior to another based on ranking alone.

Just because a school may rank high on the US News & World Report list doesn’t mean that school should rank high on YOUR list. Any list would not be able to account for your goals of pursuing pharmacy school, your current level of education (high school vs college graduate), your prior course work compared to the program’s prerequisites, or even your geographical limitations (including distance or online programming).

A list will not predict what pharmacy education is right for you or how your pharmacy degree will translate into pharmacy practice. The best pharmacy program is the school that tops your list, not someone else’s.

The Key to Finding PharmD Education Value: Evaluating Your Own Needs First

There’s nothing more important than choosing a program that fits your needs. As a learner, teaching philosophy, class size, curriculum structure, and experiential opportunities all matter. As a future job-seeker, pharmacy intern employment opportunities within proximity to the school matter. As a future carrier of education debt, tuition costs, financial aid packages, and cost of living all matter.

Your pharmacy education should focus on what is the best pharmacy school for you. Perhaps you received a degree in biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical science, or medicinal chemistry. Some programs may weigh heavier than others. Whether you want to pursue a career in clinical pharmacy versus working in health outcomes or public health for the national institute of health will make a large difference in the programs that you may seek out.

The best pharmacy school for you may have a small number of students, allowing for a more intimate PharmD program. You will certainly want to ensure that the accreditation council has not placed any sort of disciplinary action or sanction against the college of pharmacy that you are looking at. Many students may find certain aspects of a college of pharmacy appealing, while other students may find that same aspect to be appalling. Just like pharmacy practice is growing and evolving, so is the higher education curriculum for the pharmacy degree.

Our goal is to provide you with the proper information and tools to create your personalized ranking. We want you to find a school and program that closely aligns with your learning needs to best position you to thrive throughout pharmacy school, to best prepare you for the pharmacy licensure exam (NAPLEX), and ultimately to best create a competitive resume that will be alluring to future employers.

Top Quartile (1-31)

Rank	PharmD Program	Location	Peer Assessment Score
1	University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill	Chapel Hill, NC	4.9
2	University of California--San Francisco	San Francisco, CA	4.8
3	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Ann Arbor, MI	4.7
3	University of Minnesota	Minneapolis, MN	4.7
5	University of Florida	Gainesville, FL	4.6
6	University of Kentucky	Lexington, KY	4.5
7	Ohio State University	Columbus, OH	4.4
7	Purdue University	West Lafayette, IN	4.4
7	University of Illinois--Chicago	Chicago, IL	4.4
7	University of Texas--Austin	Austin, TX	4.4
7	University of Washington	Seattle, WA	4.4
7	University of Wisconsin--Madison	Madison, WI	4.4
13	University of Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh, PA	4.3
14	University at Buffalo--SUNY	Buffalo, NY	4.2
14	University of Maryland--Baltimore	Baltimore, MD	4.2
14	University of Southern California	Los Angeles, CA	4.2
14	University of Utah	Salt Lake City, UT	4.2
18	University of California--San Diego	La Jolla, CA	4.1
18	University of Iowa	Iowa City, IA	4.1
20	University of Arizona	Tucson, AZ	4
20	University of Colorado--Denver	Aurora, CO	4
20	University of Tennessee Health Science Center	Memphis, TN	4
20	Virginia Commonwealth University	Richmond, VA	4
24	Rutgers University (Mario)	Piscataway, NJ	3.9
24	University of Georgia	Athens, GA	3.9
24	University of Kansas	Lawrence, KS	3.9
24	University of Mississippi	University, MS	3.9
28	University of Nebraska Medical Center	Omaha, NE	3.8
29	University of Connecticut	Storrs, CT	3.7
30	University of Cincinnati	Cincinnati, OH	3.6
31	Auburn University	Auburn, AL	3.5
31	Medical Universtiy of South Carolina	Charleston, SC	3.5
31	Northeastern University	Boston, MA	3.5
31	Oregon State University	Corvallis, OR	3.5
31	University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences	Little Rock, AR	3.5
31	University of Houston	Houston, TX	3.5
31	University of Missouri--Kansas City	Kansas City, MO	3.5
31	University of Oklahoma	Oklahoma City, OK	3.5
31	West Virginia University	Morgantown, WV	3.5

Middle Fifty (40-99)

Rank	PharmD Program	Location	Peer Assessment Score
40	University of Rhode Island	Kingston, RI	3.4
40	University of South Carolina	Columbia, SC	3.4
40	Washington State University	Spokane, WA	3.4
43	Duquesne University	Pittsburgh, PA	3.3
43	University of New Mexico	Albuquerque, NM	3.3
43	Wayne State University	Detroit, MI	3.3
46	Butler University	Indianapolis, IN	3.2
46	Creighton University	Omaha, NE	3.2
46	Drake University	Des Moines, IA	3.2
46	St. Louis College of Pharmacy	St. Louis, MO	3.2
46	Texas A&M Health Science Center	Kingsville, TX	3.2
46	Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center	Amarillo, TX	3.2
46	University of the Sciences-Philadelphia College of Pharmacy & Science	Philadelphia, PA	3.2
53	Mercer University	Atlanta, GA	3.1
53	Temple University	Philadelphia, PA	3.1
53	Thomas Jefferson University	Philadelphia, PA	3.1
53	University of Wyoming	Laramie, WY	3.1
57	University of Montana	Missoula, MT	3
57	University of Toledo	Toledo , OH	3
59	Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences	Albany, NY	2.9
59	Idaho State University	Pocatello, ID	2.9
59	North Dakota State University	Fargo, ND	2.9
59	Ohio Northern University	Ada, OH	2.9
59	South Dakota State University	Brookings, SD	2.9
59	University of the Pacific	Stockton, CA	2.9
65	Campbell University	Buies Creek, NC	2.8
65	Samford University	Birmingham, AL	2.8
65	St. John's University	Jamaica, NY	2.8
68	Ferris State University	Big Rapids, MI	2.7
68	Southern Illinois University--Edwardsville	Edwardsville, IL	2.7
68	University of South Florida	Tampa, FL	2.7
71	East Tennessee State University	Mountain Home, TN	2.6
71	Northeast Ohio Medical University	Rootstown, OH	2.6
71	University of Puerto Rico--Medical Sciences Campus	San Juan, PR	2.6
71	Western University of Health Sciences	Pomona, CA	2.6
75	Howard University	Washington, DC	2.5
75	MCPHS University--Boston	Boston, MA	2.5
75	Midwestern University	Glendale, AZ	2.5
75	Midwestern University--Chicago College of Pharmacy	Downers Grove, IL	2.5
79	Florida A&M University	Tallahassee, FL	2.4
79	Long Island University	Brooklyn, NY	2.4
79	Marshall University	Huntington, WV	2.4
79	Notre Dame of Maryland University	Baltimore, MD	2.4
79	Nova Southeastern University	Fort Lauderdale, FL	2.4
79	Pacific University	Hillsboro, OR	2.4
79	Shenandoah University	Winchester, VA	2.4
79	South Carolina College of Pharmacy	Columbia, SC	2.4
79	University of Hawaii--Hilo	Hilo, HI	2.4
79	University of Louisiana--Monroe	Monroe, LA	2.4
79	Wilkes University	Wilkes-Barre, PA	2.4
90	Belmont University	Nashville, TN	2.3
90	Loma Linda University	Loma Linda, CA	2.3
90	Regis University	Denver, CO	2.3
90	Southwestern Oklahoma State University	Weatherford, OK	2.3
90	St. John Fisher College	Rochester, NY	2.3
90	University of Maryland--Eastern Shore	Princess Anne, MD	2.3
90	University of North Texas	Fort Worth, TX	2.3
90	Wingate University	Wingate, NC	2.3
90	Xavier University of Louisiana	New Orleans, LA	2.3
99	Chapman University	CA	2.2
99	Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine	Erie, PA	2.2
99	Lipscomb University	Nashville, TN	2.2
99	MCPHS University--Worcester	Worcester, MA	2.2
99	Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine	Philadelphia, PA	2.2
99	Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Sciences	North Chicago, IL	2.2
99	Touro University--California College of Pharmacy	Mare Island, CA	2.2
99	University of New England	Portland, ME	2.2
99	Western New England University	Springfield, MA	2.2

Bottom Quartile (108-134)

Rank	PharmD Program	Location	Peer Assessment Score
108	Cedarville University	Cedarville, OH	2.1
108	Concordia University	Mequon, WI	2.1
108	Keck Graduate Institute	Claremont, CA	2.1
108	Manchester University	Fort Wayne, IN	2.1
108	Roseman University of Health Sciences	Henderson, NV	2.1
108	Texas Southern University	Houston, TX	2.1
108	University of Findlay	Findlay , OH	2.1
108	University of Texas--Tyler	Tyler, TX	2.1
108	University of the Incarnate Word	San Antonio , TX	2.1
117	University of Charleston	Charleston, WV	2
117	University of St. Joseph	Hartford, CT	2
119	Appalachian College of Pharmacy	Oaktwood, VA	1.9
119	Fairleigh Dickinson University	Florham Park, NJ	1.9
119	Palm Beach Atlantic University	West Palm Beach, FL	1.9
119	Presbyterian College	Clinton, SC	1.9
119	Roosevelt University	Schaumburg, IL	1.9
119	Sullivan University	Louisville, KY	1.9
119	Union University	Jackson, TN	1.9
126	D'Youville College	Buffalo, NY	1.8
126	Harding University	Searcy, AR	1.8
128	California Northstate University College of Pharmacy	Cordova, CA	1.7
128	Chicago State University	Chicago, IL	1.7
128	South University	Savannah, GA	1.7
128	Touro College	New York, NY	1.7
132	Husson University	Bangor, ME	1.6
132	West Coast University	Los Angeles, CA	1.6
134	South College	Knoxville, TN	1.5

Methodology

The US News & World Report’s Best Pharmacy Schools ranking is based exclusively upon peer assessment survey results sent to deans, administrators, or faculty at all of the accredited Doctorate of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs in the United States. Each school was sent the same number of surveys. The survey response rate was 62%, which was one of the highest among all the graduate health programs ranked.

Source:

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/pharmacy-rankings)

Jim Herbst, PharmD, BCPPS

Jim Herbst, PharmD, BCPPS is an advanced patient care pharmacist at a nationally ranked pediatric acute care teaching hospital. Dr Herbst received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Ohio State University in 2012. He started his clinical career as an inpatient patient care pharmacist covering the neurology and complex care services, before transitioning to a pediatric neurology ambulatory care clinic in 2019.

Dr Herbst's areas of interest in pediatric neurology include treatment-resistant pediatric epilepsy, infantile spasms, the ketogenic diet, and neuroimmunology. He has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed pharmacy and neurology journals, including Neurology, Epilepsia, and the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association. Dr Herbst is board certified as a pediatric pharmacy specialist.

Opinions and information published by the author here on PharmDDegree.com are of my own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of my employer.