Top 10 Pharmacy Schools

There are many ways to rank the top 10 pharmacy schools. Faculty, research, and surveys are used to decide the rankings of most college programs. The National Institutes of Health ranks the top 1 pharmacy schools strictly by amount of research funding earned.   Earning awards from the NIH is incredibly competitive and the amount a pharmacy school receives is often indicative of the quality of its research program. 

In 24 the following pharmacy schools were ranked the top 10:

  1. University of California – San Francisco (The UCSF School of Pharmacy has received more funding from NIH than any other pharmacy school in the nation since the year 1979.)
  2. University of Washington
  3. University of Kansas
  4. University of Utah
  5. University of Montana
  6. University of Arizona
  7. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
  8. University of Illinois – Chicago
  9. University of New Jersey – Rutgers
  10. University of Colorado Denver/HSC Aurora

In 2008 U.S. News & World Report ranked the top 10 pharmacy graduate schools on a 5 point scale using only peer assessment surveys submitted by deans, administrators, and faculty. Numbers 5 through 8 tied at 4.1 out of 5, and numbers 9 through 14 tied at 4..

  1. University of California – San Francisco
  2. University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
  3. University of Minnesota
  4. University of Texas – Austin
  5. Ohio State University
  6. University of Kentucky
  7. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
  8. University of Washington
  9. Purdue University
  10. University of Arizona
  11. University of Florida
  12. University of Illinois
  13. University of Maryland – Baltimore
  14. University of Wisconsin – Madison

    15. When researching any educational program, including pharmacy schools, it is important to keep in mind that rankings and top 1 lists of schools are often comprised from subjective material. The NIH list is based on strictly on numerical data – the amount of funding received. This gives a clear picture of the school’s research capacities without including subjective opinions. That being said, perception is a factor. In an interview and on a resume, the perceived value of a degree can give candidates an edge over other applicants. Consider all the factors before enrolling in a pharmacy school – even one in the top 1.