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The Best Pharmacy School by Rankings: How to Find Value

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

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

portrait of Jim Herbst PharmD

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.