A few years ago, I looked into becoming a pharmacist. My biggest question: How much is pharmacy school?
I knew it was a doctorate degree program and knew the cost each year would be high and take four years of pharmacology study at an accredited school.
Remember: You already have to have a degree before you can be accepted into a Pharm.D. program, so you already are paying on debt and obligations.
Ill look at the a sample tuition cost of a pharmacy degree in this article.
How much is tuition for pharmacy school per year?
Tuition for pharmacy schools can vary a lot during the entire pharmacy program.
Costs comprise of the standard expenses, like tuition, other school fees, books, room and board, supplies, and other living expenses.
Inflation is one factor that can greatly affect increases in tuition over the years which can total to well over six figures.
Take a glimpse at this rundown of 2009-2010 national average tuition and compulsory fees for the pharmacology program, according to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy:
For in-state students in public schools – $15,767.56 for the first year, and a total of $63,070 for the four-year program.
For out-of-state students in public schools – $28,939.03 for the first year, and a total of $115,756 for the four-year program.
In private schools – $30,552.26 for the first year, and a total of $122,209 for the four-year program.
Other added costs include books, estimated at around $695 per semester; and $150 as registration fee for the Pharmacy College Admission Test.
Average cost of a pharmacy degree from top tier schools
Across the U.S., there are 12 public and one private schools of pharmacology that rank in the top 10.
The ranking is led by University of California-San Francisco (UCSF), followed by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), both public schools.
The lone private and non-profit institution is University of Southern California (USC), which straddles the tenth rank together with three other universities. Here’s the complete list:
- University of California – San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN
- The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
- University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI
- Ohio State University – Main Campus, Columbus, OH
- Purdue University – Main Campus, West Lafayette, IN
- University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI
- University of Arizona,Tucson, AZ
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
- University of Utah,Salt Lake City, UT
- University of Washington – Seattle Campus,Seattle, WA
The average pharmacy school tuition for in-state undergrads from this top tier campuses costs $9,470, while for out-of-state students it can amount to $27,818.
Checking into the current tuition rates in 2014, it turns out that the University of Southern California is the most expensive at $48,876 tuition per year (3 terms); the University of Northern Carolina at Chapel Hill is the least expensive with $8,340 tuition and fees per year for in-state students, and $30,122 tuition and fees for out-of-state students.
Let’s see some numbers about of attending the No. 1 pharmacy school in the U.S. – University of California-San Francisco.
The details of the full costs in this college are based on the 2014-2015 school year inclusive of the fall, winter and spring terms, and are provided as follows:
- Tuition: $11,220
- Student Services Fee: $972
- Community Center Facilities Fee: $142
- Graduate and Professional Students Association: $27
- Associated Students of School Pharmacy: $45
- Student Health Insurance Premium: $4,027
- Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition, $19,638
The total tuition for in-state students (or California residents) is $36,071 for one year, exclusive of room and board which could range anywhere from $10,000 to more than $20,000.
Out-of-state students (or non-California residents) pay an additional Non-resident Supplemental Tuition of $12,245, making a total school-related cost of $48,316.
What is the cost of getting a pharmacy degree from a public or private school?
If you have noticed, public or state schools make a distinction between in-state and out-of-state students, and the difference is significant in terms of tuition and fees collected by the school.
This is so because state governments prioritize their respective constituents and subsidize the cost of their education. Private schools, on the other hand, do not observe this differentiation.
Schools may impose additional fees, such as parking fee, document verification fee, fees for returned checks, late fees, and other financial charges.
When making decisions as to which college of pharmacy to attend, it matters whether you choose a college in your own state or those in other states, whether it’s private or public, or whether it’s a top-ranking school or not.
Count in the costs for transportation, room and board, books, supplies, computer and necessary appurtenances, and other living expenses.
Actual student costs will vary depending on the abovementioned factors and every student’s actual living arrangements.
This is the info Ive found about the cost of a pharmacy degree. It answered my question: How much is pharmacy school?