How Much Does Pharmacy School Cost?

$ $ Medium: Public Pharmacy School Programs Average $14,800-$82,000 In-State

$ $ $ High: Private Pharmacy Programs Run $74,800-$160,000 Over Four Years

All prospective pharmacy school students should first complete 2-3 years of college-level pre-pharmacy studies in math and science.

The competition for admission is serious, and thus approx. half of the applicants already have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

The Pharmacy College Application Service provides a centralized application service for those students who are interested in pharmacy studies.

Typical Costs

The pharmacy school tuition through a public university comes at a price of around $3,000-$20,500 annually for in-state residents and approx. $14,800-$82,000 for the four-year program.

For example, Florida A&M University’s College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences provides one of the most affordable programs at around $3,700 per year, while the University of San Diego in California is at the top of the scale.

Since public schools are funded by local tax dollars, students from out of the area pay $9,950-$32,800 annually.

Students at private pharmacy schools pay $18,700-$40,000 annually or $74,800-$160,000 over four years.

Among the least expensive is Albany College of Pharmacy in New York State where are needed $20,600 per year.

On the other side of the continent, students pay approx. $38,000 annually at the University of Southern California.

Additional Costs

• The Pharmacy College Admissions Test is at the price of $125.
• Books are approx. $300-$600 per year, based on the school and whether the books are new.
• Books are most expensive during the first year and the least expensive for the fourth.
• Requirements for obtaining a license to use the title Pharmacist depend on each state.
• For example, in New York, the applicants should be of “good moral character, at least 21, meet educational and experience requirements and be a US citizen or have applied for permanent residency.”, and the fee they have to pay is $270.
• The fees vary by school and usually include technical services, professional liability insurance, and lab fees for almost $1,800 per year.
• Students need to have either have their health insurance or purchase it through the university at about $2,300 per year.

Discounts

• The American Association of Pharmaceutical Education provides scholarships.
• Various pharmacies offer tuition reimbursement plans for current employees who are accepted into pharmacy schools.
• Some of them require a commitment to continue employment for up to two years.
• For example, Walgreen’s shall reimburse up to $3,000 in tuition expenses, while CVS can offer up to $5,000 per year to employees plus a commitment to remain with the company that varies depending on how long a student received funds.

Shopping For Pharmacy School

• The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy presents an updated online list of US Pharmacy schools.
• US PharmRX secures a collection of pharmacy school backgrounds with in-depth program information, including tuition fees.