List of Top 10 Pharmacy Schools in America

Making a career in pharmacy, although challenging, is rewarding. There are many reputed undergraduate and graduate pharmacy schools in America. It is not always necessary to hold a bachelor's degree to become pharmacist or a pharmacist technician. However, you should have completed your two years of pre-pharmacy education. The degree granted on completion of four years of professional pharmacy is the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). This degree is a professional degree and not a graduate degree. You can also pursue a Master degree or PhD.

In order to gain entry into one of the good and reputed pharmacy colleges you need to clear an entrance examination known as Pharmacy College Admission Test. The Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is an entrance test endorsed by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) for admissions to some of the colleges of pharmacy. Most of the top pharmacy colleges require clearing the PCAT. The AACP also offers a centralized application service (PharmCAS) for applying to several pharmacy colleges at once.

Top 10 Pharmacy Schools in America

Now, following is a list of the top pharmacy schools in the United States of America. It is essential to note that the colleges mentioned here are not in chronological order of ranking based on their scores. Let us know about these top pharmacy colleges in brief.

Purdue University: (Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2091) A College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Sciences, Purdue University has been rated as one of the best universities to offer graduate programs in pharmacy. It is ranked as one of the top 10 pharmacy colleges of the United States. Students of this college are not only taught about health care but are also given ample opportunities to develop leadership skills in the field of medicine. A bachelor's degree, GRE score is essential for admission; whereas, international students should also present their TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Ohio State University: (The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210) The College of Pharmacy, Ohio State University, is ranked as the 4th best pharmacy college in the United States of America with regards to funding and scientific publications. It ranks 2nd in the number of scientific publications published annually, and also holds the 7th position in the overall ranking of the best pharmacy schools in America. Along with pre-pharmacy requirements, GRE and TOEFL is required for admission.

University of California: (The University of California, San Francisco, California 94143) The School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco, is one of the top-ranked pharmacy schools in the US in terms of perception, academic quality, funding and number of annual scientific publications. The programs offered by this school include Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Public Health, Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Science in Clinical Research and similar doctoral and the post-doctoral courses. They do not require a GRE or TOEFL; just the pre-pharmacy requirements are essential.

University of Cincinnati: (The James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0004) College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati, is one of the oldest colleges in the country. It was established in 1819, and is one of the top 10 MS pharmacy colleges in the US. This college offers programs such as Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The pre-pharmacy courses should be completed for applying to this school. It is also essential to submit your Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores.

University of Kentucky: (The College of Pharmacy, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596) The College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, is one of the most prestigious pharmacy colleges of the country. It has been ranked as the top 5th college by the U.S. News & World Report survey of Pharmacy programs. Completion of undergraduate course, and Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is essential for the Master's degree. International students are required to submit their TOEFL scores.

Ferris State University: (College of Pharmacy, Ferris State University, Michigan 49307) The College of Pharmacy, Ferris State University, ranks among the top ten pharmacy schools in America. The Michigan Board of Pharmacy accredited it in 1893. It offers Pre-pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy programs. Completion of pharmacy prerequisites and Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is essential for admission.

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities: (College of Pharmacy, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455) The College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, is one of the premier pharmacy institutes in the country. It is the only college in the state of Minnesota to offer PharmD, M.S. and PhD programs. It ranks among the top three colleges of pharmacy in the US. Previous college transcripts and Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores are essential for admission. International students should submit TOEFL scores.

University of North Carolina: (Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7355) The University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy is one of the highest ranked pharmacy colleges in America. One of the most well-recognized programs offered by this school of pharmacy is the PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), GRE scores; and TOEFL score (in case of international students) are considered for admission.

University of Tennessee: (College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163) The College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee, is one of the top 10 pharmacy schools in America. It offers degree programs in Doctor of Pharmacy, Graduate (M.S. / PhD) and also a dual degree (PharmD & PhD). Completion of prerequisite coursework and Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is essential for admission. International students will also have to submit GRE and TOEFL scores.

University of Oklahoma: (The University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73126-0901) The University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy is also one of the top pharmacy schools in the United States. This school offers a program in PharmD, and a dual degree program that consists of PharmD and M.S. Pre-pharmacy requirements and Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores are required for admissions. Similarly, foreign students need to present TOEFL scores.

Detailed information about the course structure and admission procedure can be obtained from the official websites of these universities. If you want to pursue a lucrative career in pharmacy, it would be a wise decision to get into one of the top ten pharmacy schools in the United States of America. To get into one of the premier pharmacy institutes, you need to have a good score in Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) and send in your application early to secure your place in the face of the tough competition for admissions.

There is an ever-growing demand for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Pharmaceutical companies hire students and freshers who have completed their course in pharmacy. Students undergoing a course in pharmacy have nothing to worry about because there are many pharmaceutical jobs, and medical professionals are never out of demand.