2022 Best Pharmacy Degrees Online
Students interested in becoming pharmacists must acquire a Doctor of Pharmacy. An online Doctor of Pharmacy degree program covers topics including pharmacology, pharmacogenetics, and integrative health. In addition, students can expect to participate in immersive learning experiences, such as in-person labs and clinical rotations. Licensed pharmacists work in various settings, such as hospitals, grocery stores, and medical centers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), licensed pharmacists with a PharmD earn a median annual salary of $128,570 per year (or $61.81 per hour).
View our methodology for more details about our list or learn more about OnlineU.
ON THIS PAGE
List Of Accredited Online Schools
| School | Online Enrollment | Salary Score | Median Starting Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Denver | |||
| Creighton University | 1,890 | 44 | $99,830 |
| Concordia University - Wisconsin | 1,328 | 82 | $112,115 |
| Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 1,023 | 57 | $103,596 |
| Duquesne University | 670 | 62 | $105,192 |
| Shenandoah University | 497 | 80 | $111,275 |
| Texas A&M University-Kingsville | 411 | NA | NA |
| St. John Fisher College | 43 | 79 | $111,100 |
| Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine | NA | 45 | $100,254 |
Concordia University - Wisconsin
- Salary Score: 82
- Median Starting Salary: $112,115
- Locations: Mequon (WI)
- Accreditation: HLC
Concordia University - Wisconsin (CUW) is a medium-sized, private nonprofit institution offering an online Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and MBA Dual Degree requiring 30 credit hours. In addition, students can choose from 15 concentrations to add to their degree. All MBA courses are offered online, but students must attend pharmacy classes in person at CUW’s campus.
At CUW, students complete online coursework synchronously on Blackboard. CUW’s admission requirements include submitting an application and meeting MBA prerequisites in accounting, finance, management, and marketing. Online support consists of a writing center, tutoring, and career services. Students who don’t have the MBA prerequisites may take MBA 555/888 Small Business Administration or MBA 688/88 New Venture Formation & Business Development.
Shenandoah University
- Salary Score: 80
- Median Starting Salary: $111,275
- Locations: Winchester (VA)
- Accreditation: SACS COC
Shenandoah University (SU), a medium-sized, private nonprofit institution, offers several online Doctor of Pharmacy programs: (1) Doctor of Pharmacy / Master of Public Health Dual Degree, (2) Doctor of Pharmacy / Master of Science in Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine Dual Degree, and (3) Nontraditional Doctor of Pharmacy (NTDP). Each program ranges between 53 to 175 credit hours. Programs are tailored to students who are beginning their pharmacy careers or licensed pharmacists who want to advance their expertise.
SU’s online coursework is facilitated on Canvas. At SU, online student support includes tutoring, academic counseling, and disability services. General admission requirements are a bachelor’s degree, transcripts, application, two letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, and CV or resume.
St. John Fisher College
- Salary Score: 79
- Median Starting Salary: $111,100
- Locations: Rochester (NY)
- Accreditation: MSCHE
St. John Fisher College (SJFC) is a medium-sized, private nonprofit institution, which offers an online Doctor of Pharmacy - Fisher Pharm.D. Online totaling 151 credit hours. The program, which lasts four years, includes six immersions and eleven clinical rotations. Students will gain hands-on experience in a pharmacy career's administrative and medical aspects.
At SJFC, online students complete coursework in a synchronous format on Blackboard. Online student resources include tutoring, a writing center, and career exploration. SJFC’s admission requirements include an online application, two years or 62 college credit hours of pre-professional education, official transcripts, and two letters of recommendation.
Duquesne University
- Salary Score: 62
- Median Starting Salary: $105,192
- Locations: Pittsburgh (PA)
- Accreditation: MSCHE
Duquesne University (DUQ), a medium-sized, private nonprofit institution, offers an online Doctor of Pharmacy totaling 142 credit hours. The program provides seven-week online courses, and students are required to come to campus to take exams, perform labwork, and participate in experiential learning experiences. Sample courses include Pharmaceutical Calculations, Ability-Based Laboratory Experience, and Public Health & Epidemiology.
DUQ facilitates online courses in a hybrid format (online and in-person) on Canvas. At DUQ, student support includes disability services, tutoring, mentoring, and career services. Admission requirements include completing the PCAT and having the required math and science prerequisites from a previous college degree.
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
- Salary Score: 57
- Median Starting Salary: $103,596
- Locations: Boston (MA)
- Accreditation: NECHE
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) is a small, public institution offering an online Non-Traditional Doctor of Pharmacy (NTDP) requiring 37 credit hours. This two-year, part-time program is designed for licensed pharmacists who desire to further their education in pharmacy. One in-person visit to MCPHS’s Boston campus for orientation is required.
At MCPHS, students complete online coursework asynchronously on Blackboard. MCPHS’s online student support includes academic coaching, mentoring, libraries, and career services. Admission requirements include having a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy, a license to practice pharmacy, and working in a patient-care facility.
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Salary Score: 45
- Median Starting Salary: $100,254
- Locations: Erie (PA)
- Accreditation: MSCHE
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is a small, private nonprofit institution offering an online Doctor of Pharmacy through the Distance Education pathway. The four-year program provides students with the foundation to pursue a career in pharmacology. Students must visit the campus for one to three weeks to complete labs, casework, and presentations during the program.
LECOM delivers its online programs in an asynchronous and synchronous format. At LECOM, online student support includes counseling, disability support, and career services. The program’s admission requirements include having completed at least 54 college credit hours and IB credits, as well as submitting two letters of recommendation.
University of Colorado Denver
- Salary Score: 45
- Median Starting Salary: $100,224
- Locations: Denver (CO)
- Accreditation: HLC
The University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus (CU Anschutz) is a medium-sized, public institution offering an online Doctor of Pharmacy in North American Trained PharmD. Totaling 65 hours to complete, the program can be finished within two years. Students will participate in clinical rotations while completing coursework covering pharmacotherapy and other related topics.
At CU Anschutz, online students complete coursework through the platform Canvas. CU Anschutz’s student support includes disability services, a writing center, peer tutoring, and coaching. The program’s admission requirements include completing a five-year ACPE-accredited pharmacy program, a license to practice pharmacy, and a background check.
Creighton University
- Salary Score: 44
- Median Starting Salary: $99,830
- Locations: Omaha (NE)
- Accreditation: HLC
Creighton University (Creighton), a medium, private nonprofit university, offers two online Doctor of Pharmacy programs requiring 150 credit hours to complete. Online students must choose the program’s Distance Pathway. The program covers a range of topics, such as patient data collection, patient counseling, and pharmacy care plans.
At Creighton, online students complete coursework on BlueLine in both an asynchronous and synchronous format. Online student resources include tutoring, academic coaching, peer mentors, and study support. Applicants must have a minimum of 63 semester hours or 95 quarter hours completed before enrolling in the program. Additional requirements include an application, official transcripts, and two letters of recommendation.
Overview of Online Pharm.D. Degrees
In order to become a licensed pharmacist, students must complete a Pharm.D. program, which is considered a professional doctorate program on the same level as those for medical doctors and dentists. The advanced coursework in this type of doctoral program is designed to prepare students to pass the licensing exam. Topics include biochemistry, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics, pathology, immunology, and more. Pharm.D. students are also required to complete a specified number of clinical practice hours.
| According to the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 15,112 students earned Pharm.D. degrees in the 2018-2019 academic year. |
Can You Really Get Your Doctorate in Pharmacy Online?
Yes, it is definitely possible to earn a Pharm.D. through distance education. Several pharmacy graduate programs at accredited colleges and universities have created online pharmacy schools. Students complete coursework online, and with the help of program coordinators, they find opportunities to complete their clinical practice hours at facilities near their home.
Some programs offer the non-clinical coursework entirely online, some require students to attend brief workshops on campus, and some are considered hybrid, meaning coursework is delivered through a combination of online and on-campus learning activities. Students should research this aspect of each program thoroughly before selecting the best one for their needs.
How Long Are Online Pharm.D. Programs?
Although many online Pharm.D. programs are designed to be completed in four years of part-time study, some students require up to six years to complete all of the graduation requirements. Most of these doctorate programs are geared toward students who are working full time, so there are often only two classes per term. Also, some students opt for additional one- or two-year residencies after completing graduate school if they want to specialize in a particular subfield of pharmacology, such as geriatrics, cardiology, or infectious diseases. However, there are a few programs that allow enrollees to take full-time course loads and graduate in two to three years.
Programs typically require the completion of 60-70 credit hours in total. The first half of these credits are completed in the first two years of the program. They are typically online "didactic" classes, meaning that coursework involves reading texts and materials, viewing or reading lectures, and participating in online activities with classmates. The other half of the credits are devoted to experiential, clinical practice conducted at pharmacies or other relevant healthcare facilities, and students often need two or more years to fulfill the required number of pharmacy practice hours.
Accreditation
Prior to enrolling in an online pharmacist program, prospective students should confirm that the program has been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. To become accredited, a Pharm.D. program must undergo an extensive, multi-year evaluation. Accreditation ensures consistency across all programs by documenting that each program's curriculum, faculty, and learning outcomes meet the same national standards.
Prior to enrolling in an online pharmacist program, prospective students should confirm that the program has been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
Choosing an ACPE-accredited program is important for several reasons. Not only does it assure students they're enrolled in a credible degree program that meets high academic standards, it is a requirement for obtaining pharmacist licensure. For a list of accredited online pharmacy programs, students can visit the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the U.S. Department of Education.
Applying to Online Doctor of Pharmacy Programs
Competition for enrollment in the best Pharm.D. programs is high.
| Recent statistics from the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education indicate that approximately 15,000 new students have entered doctorate pharmacy programs in each of the most recent academic years, and approximately 14,000 of those have earned Pharm.D. degrees. This same report, compiled from data contributed by the 144 U.S. schools offering pharmacy degrees, shows that these schools received about 50,000 applications for Pharm.D. programs. |
The admission requirements for most online pharmacy programs stipulate that applicants must have earned a pre-pharmacy bachelor's degree or something similar from an accredited, four-year college or university. Many programs also require applicants to have taken a number of prerequisite courses before enrolling in the Pharm.D. program. Some of the more common prerequisites are biology, chemistry, physics, organic chemistry, statistics, and calculus. Students must have earned a GPA of 2.0 or better in these courses to qualify.
When applying for an online doctor of pharmacy program, applicants must submit an application form. The following items may also be requested:
- Official transcripts from all previous colleges attended
- Test scores from standardized tests, such as the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
- One or more letters of recommendation
- A personal statement outlining the student's goals and motivation for enrolling in the program
- A resume or curriculum vitae
Pharmacy Career Certification and Licensing Requirements
All 50 U.S. states require pharmacists to be licensed in order to practice. Upon completion of an online Pharm.D. program, graduates must take and pass two exams to obtain a license to practice in the state where they reside. The required exams are the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX), which tests prospective pharmacists on the skills and knowledge required for the career, and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE), which tests prospective pharmacists on the pharmacy laws specific to the state in which they are seeking licensing.
All 50 U.S. states require pharmacists to be licensed in order to practice.
Some pharmacists may also choose to obtain certification in advanced areas of specialization. Certification in such areas as oncology, nutrition, pediatric pharmacy, nuclear pharmacy, and others are offered through the Board of Pharmacy Specialties.
Pharmacy Career Paths
Becoming a licensed pharmacist is just one of several career options for individuals interested in the pharmaceutical industry. The following are some of the career paths students can choose from, along with data from the BLS:
Pharmacists
Median Annual Salary: $128,710Pharmaceutical Researchers
Median Annual Salary: $91,510Pharmacy Professors
Median Annual Salary: $99,090Is Getting an Online Pharm.D. Degree Worth It?
While obtaining a Pharm.D. degree is a requirement for a career as a licensed pharmacist, students may consider multiple factors in deciding whether to pursue this degree and field. There are various advantages and disadvantages of online Pharm.D. programs that students should weigh in light of their own circumstances, resources, and goals.
Potential Benefits
- Pharmacists often earn six-figure incomes. Once they've obtained a license to practice, pharmacists can expect median annual salaries ranging from $125,740 to $137,820.
- This degree may allow for flexibility when deciding on a career path. Those who've earned Pharm.D. degrees have several career options, from working in ambulatory care as a licensed pharmacist to being an unlicensed medical writer in the pharmaceutical industry. In the growing field of online healthcare, pharmacists may even be able to work at home via telepharmacy.
- Going to school online gives students more choices. Pursuing a Pharm.D. degree online allows full-time working students to choose from a broader selection of schools without having to relocate and find a new job.
Potential Drawbacks
- Completing the educational requirements to become a pharmacist is a fairly long and potentially expensive process. Licensed pharmacists may spend about eight years earning a bachelor's and Pharm.D. degree. For students interested in the field, there are careers that don't require an advanced degree or the time commitment that goes with it. For example, pharmacy technicians and pharmaceutical sales reps may hold certificates, associate degrees, or bachelor's degrees.
- Job opportunities for pharmacists are diminishing. The BLS predicts that demand for pharmacists will decline by 3% over the next 10 years as people continue to shift to purchasing medications by mail order.
- Working as a pharmacist can be demanding. Some may find that the need for critical attention to detail is stressful, especially considering the responsibilities that range from ensuring a patient's safety and wellbeing to properly fulfilling corporate mandates.
- Online students may have to devote more effort to building relationships with peers. Without opportunities to connect with others in person, some pharmacy students may struggle to build a professional network that can be helpful later in their careers.
What's the Difference Between the Pharm.D. Degree and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology?
A Pharm.D. program is distinctly different from a Ph.D. in pharmacology. While both are doctoral degrees, they prepare students for different career paths. The Pharm.D. degree is the right choice for students who want to become licensed, practicing pharmacists. The Ph.D. in pharmacology is the best choice for students who want to enter the field of pharmacological research and pharmaceutical development. While there are some similarities in the topics covered in the coursework for both doctoral programs, a pharmacology Ph.D. program is more focused on research and requires a dissertation.