Pharmaceutical Sciences: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Pharmaceutical Sciences is an advanced academic discipline centered on the scientific foundations of drug development, delivery, and therapeutic application. This program equips students with a rigorous understanding of the molecular, biological, and chemical principles that drive innovation in medicine and healthcare. Graduates are prepared for impactful roles in research, regulatory compliance, drug manufacturing, and biotechnology, as well as further study in health-related professional fields.
- Pharmaceutics: The science of drug formulation and delivery, focusing on how medications are designed, stabilized, and administered for optimal efficacy and safety.
- Pharmacology and Toxicology: The study of how drugs interact with biological systems, including mechanisms of action, therapeutic effects, and potential adverse reactions.
- Dosage Formulation: The design and development of specific drug forms—such as tablets, injectables, and controlled-release systems—to ensure consistent and effective treatment.
- Drug Manufacturing and Quality Assurance: Processes and protocols governing the large-scale production of pharmaceuticals, emphasizing consistency, purity, and compliance with industry standards.
- Regulatory Affairs: The framework of laws, guidelines, and policies that govern the approval, testing, and distribution of drugs across international markets.
- Biological and Chemical Foundations: Core training in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics to support advanced understanding of drug behavior at cellular and molecular levels.
- Statistical Analysis in Drug Research: Application of quantitative methods to evaluate clinical trial data, assess drug performance, and support evidence-based decision-making.
Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Pharmaceutical Sciences Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Pharmaceutical Sciences degrees, including Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary and Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 386,020 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1071 | $105,620 | $51,760 - $239,200 | 229,720 | N/A |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 19-1042 | $100,590 | $61,860 - $168,210 | 156,300 | $48.36 |
Pharmaceutical Sciences Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $48,090 in Hawaii to $136,330 in District of Columbia—a 183% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and Arkansas. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 386,020 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Pharmaceutical Sciences by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 74 institutions offering Pharmaceutical Sciences programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Pharmaceutical Sciences is found at MCPHS University (MCPHS) (203 graduates), Nova Southeastern University (NSU) (184 graduates), Ohio State University, Main Campus (126 graduates), University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) (101 graduates), and University of California (UCI), Irvine (92 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 2,192 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCPHS University (MCPHS) |
Bachelor's
|
203 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | mcphs.edu |
| Nova Southeastern University (NSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
184 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Private | nova.edu |
| Ohio State University |
Bachelor's
|
126 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | osu.edu |
| University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
101 | University, Mississippi | Public | olemiss.edu |
| University of California (UCI) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
92 | Irvine, California | Public | uci.edu |
| The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
87 | Memphis, Tennessee | Public | uthsc.edu |
| Samford University |
Bachelor's
|
86 | Birmingham, Alabama | Private | samford.edu |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
84 | Albany, New York | Private | acphs.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
81 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| University of California (UCD) |
Bachelor's
|
62 | Davis, California | Public | ucdavis.edu |
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) |
Bachelor's
|
57 | Weatherford, Oklahoma | Public | swosu.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
55 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| University of Toledo (UToledo) |
Bachelor's
|
55 | Toledo, Ohio | Public | utoledo.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
52 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy (UHSP) |
Bachelor's
|
48 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | uhsp.edu |
| North Dakota State University (NDSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
45 | Fargo, North Dakota | Public | ndsu.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
45 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Bachelor's
|
43 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| University at Buffalo (UB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
40 | Buffalo, New York | Public | buffalo.edu |
| Rowan University |
Master's
|
36 | Glassboro, New Jersey | Public | rowan.edu |
| Mercer University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
35 | Macon, Georgia | Private | mercer.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMB) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
34 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | umaryland.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
30 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| Northeastern University (NU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
30 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| Long Island University (LIU) |
Master's
|
28 | Brookville, New York | Private | liu.edu |
| Western New England University (WNE) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
27 | Springfield, Massachusetts | Private | wne.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
25 | Lowell, Massachusetts | Public | uml.edu |
| University of South Florida (USF) |
Master's
|
24 | Tampa, Florida | Public | usf.edu |
| University of Florida (UF) |
Postbac Cert.
Doctorate (Research)
|
23 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufl.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
23 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| California Northstate University (CNU) |
Master's
|
23 | Elk Grove, California | Private | cnsu.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
21 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| St. John's University (SJU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
20 | Queens, New York | Private | stjohns.edu |
| Campbell University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
20 | Buies Creek, North Carolina | Private | campbell.edu |
| Chapman University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
17 | Orange, California | Private | chapman.edu |
| Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
16 | Richmond, Virginia | Public | vcu.edu |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus |
Master's
|
14 | Denver, Colorado | Public | ucdenver.edu |
| Thomas Jefferson University |
Master's
|
12 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | jefferson.edu |
| University of Rhode Island (URI) |
Other Award
|
11 | Kingston, Rhode Island | Public | web.uri.edu |
| Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
11 | Lubbock, Texas | Public | ttuhsc.edu |
| Concordia University-Wisconsin (CUW) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
11 | Mequon, Wisconsin | Private | cuw.edu |
| South College |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Private | south.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
10 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| Cedarville University |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Cedarville, Ohio | Private | cedarville.edu |
| University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | uic.edu |
| Southern Illinois University (SIUE) |
Master's
|
8 | Edwardsville, Illinois | Public | siue.edu |
| Binghamton University |
Master's
|
8 | Vestal, New York | Public | binghamton.edu |
| University of North Texas Health Science Center |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
8 | Fort Worth, Texas | Public | unthsc.edu |
| The University of Findlay (UF) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Findlay, Ohio | Private | findlay.edu |
| Oregon State University (OSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Corvallis, Oregon | Public | oregonstate.edu |
| Drexel University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | drexel.edu |
| Washington State University (WSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Pullman, Washington | Public | wsu.edu |
| Creighton University |
Master's
|
6 | Omaha, Nebraska | Private | creighton.edu |
| Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) |
Master's
|
5 | Pomona, California | Private | westernu.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OUHSC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Public | ouhsc.edu |
| Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) |
Master's
|
5 | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | Private | harrisburgu.edu |
| Idaho State University (ISU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Pocatello, Idaho | Public | isu.edu |
| University of New England (UNE) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Biddeford, Maine | Private | une.edu |
| Marshall University |
Master's
|
4 | Huntington, West Virginia | Public | marshall.edu |
| West Virginia University (WVU) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Morgantown, West Virginia | Public | wvu.edu |
| Howard University (HU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | howard.edu |
| Belmont University |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | belmont.edu |
| Texas Southern University (TSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Houston, Texas | Public | tsu.edu |
| Hampton University |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Hampton, Virginia | Private | hamptonu.edu |
| Roseman University of Health Sciences |
Master's
|
3 | Henderson, Nevada | Private | roseman.edu |
| Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) |
Master's
|
2 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | iit.edu |
| Pacific University |
Master's
|
2 | Forest Grove, Oregon | Private | pacificu.edu |
| Temple University |
Master's
|
2 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Public | temple.edu |
| University of Houston (UH) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Houston, Texas | Public | uh.edu |
| University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) |
Master's
|
2 | San Antonio, Texas | Private | uiw.edu |
| Stevens Institute of Technology |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | Hoboken, New Jersey | Private | stevens.edu |
| Waynesburg University |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Waynesburg, Pennsylvania | Private | waynesburg.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Doctorate (Research)
|
1 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| Universidad Ana G. Mendez (UAGM Gurabo) |
Associate's
|
1 | Gurabo, Puerto Rico | Private | uagm.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Pharmaceutical Sciences programs
How much can I earn with a Pharmaceutical Sciences degree?
Salaries for Pharmaceutical Sciences graduates vary by role and location. Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $105,620 annually, while Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists earn around $100,590. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $136,330 compared to $48,090 in Hawaii. Approximately 386,020 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Pharmaceutical Sciences programs?
Currently 74 accredited institutions offer Pharmaceutical Sciences degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include MCPHS University (MCPHS) (203 graduates), Nova Southeastern University (NSU) (184 graduates), and Ohio State University, Main Campus (126 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Pharmaceutical Sciences growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 137 in 2010 to 2,192 in 2023-24. This represents a 1,500% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Pharmaceutical Sciences degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary, Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists, . Related occupations employ approximately 386,020 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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