Best Pharmacy School Programs in California
Why Study Pharmacy in California?
When it comes to Pharmacy school, California has amazing options. Whether you’re a California resident or looking to move to the West Coast to get the best possible education, we’ve compiled the information you need to make the right decision for you.
Best Online Pharmacy School in California
Residents of California have plenty of excellent online pharmacy schools to choose from, but researching and comparing these schools can sometimes be overwhelming. Thankfully, Pharmacy School Finder's exhaustive database of online pharmacy schools available to students living in California makes this process easier than ever before.
California Online Pharmacy School
The path to enjoying a rewarding career as a pharmacist starts with choosing the right pharmacy school. If you would like to begin researching online pharmacy schools that are available to Californians, be sure to check out Pharmacy School Finder's online pharmacy school database below!
California Campus Locations
American University of Health Sciences College of Pharmacy is a private university in the city of Signal Hill. First year tuition for in-state and out-of-state students is $60,000. The program can be completed in 2-3 years, and they offer a degree in Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). American University of Health Sciences College of Pharmacy does not participate in the Early Assurance Program and does prefer a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
California Health Sciences University College of Pharmacy is a private university in the city of Clovis. First year tuition for both in-state and out-of-state students is $45,675. The program can be completed in 3-4 years, and they offer a degree in Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). California Health Sciences University College of Pharmacy does not participate in the Early Assurance Program and does prefer a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
California Northstate University College of Pharmacy is a private university in the city of Elk Grove. First year tuition for all students is $49,000. The program can be completed in 4 years, and they offer a dual degree program where you can also earn a MBA or M.S. California Northstate University College of Pharmacy participates in the Early Assurance Program and does not require a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
University of California, San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is a public university in the city of La Jolla. First year tuition for in-state students is $38,934, and $51,179 for out-of-state students. The program can be completed in 4 years, and they offer a d Ph.D. University of California, San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences does not participate in the Early Assurance Program and does require a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
University of California, San Francisco School of Pharmacy is a public university in the city of San Francisco. First year tuition for in-state students is $45,608, and $57,853 for out-of-state students. The program can be completed in 2-3 years, and they offer a M.S.C.R. or Ph.D. University of California, San Francisco School of Pharmacy does not participate in the Early Assurance Program and does not require a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
Chapman University School of Pharmacy is a private university in the city of Irvine. First year tuition for in-state students is $78,510, and $78,510 for out-of-state students. The program can be completed in 2-3 years, and they offer a dual degree program where you can also earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). Chapman University School of Pharmacy participates in the Early Assurance Program and does not require a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
Keck Graduate Institute School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a private university in the city of Claremont. First year tuition for all students is $47,369. The program can be completed in 4 years, and they offer a degree in Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). Keck Graduate Institute School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences does not participate in the Early Assurance Program and does not require a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy is a private university in the city of Loma Linda. First year tuition for students is $45,900. The program can be completed in 4 years, and they offer a dual degree program where you can also earn a M.S. Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy does not participate in the Early Assurance Program and prefers a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
Marshall B. Ketchum College of Pharmacy is a private university in the city of Fullerton. First year tuition for all students is $49,910. The program can be completed in 4 years, and they offer a dual degree program where you can also earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). Marshall B. Ketchum College of Pharmacy does not participate in the Early Assurance Program and does prefer a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a private university in the city of Stockton. First year tuition for in-state and out-of-state students is $78,354. The program can be completed in 2-3 years, and they offer a dual degree program where you can also earn a M.S. or Ph.D. University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences participates in the Early Assurance Program and prefers a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
University of Southern California School of Pharmacy John Stauffer Pharmaceutical Sciences Center is a private university in the city of Los Angeles. First year tuition for all students is $58,836. The program can be completed in 3-4 years, and they offer a dual degree program where you can also earn a J.D., MBA, M.P.H., M.S. or Ph.D. University of Southern California School of Pharmacy John Stauffer Pharmaceutical Sciences Center does not participate in the Early Assurance Program and does require a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
Touro University, California College of Pharmacy is a private university in the city of Vallejo. First year tuition for all students is $46,720. The program can be completed in 3-4 years, and they offer a dual degree program where you can also earn a M.P.H. Touro University, California College of Pharmacy does not participate in the Early Assurance Program and prefers a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
West Coast University School of Pharmacy is a private university in the city of Los Angeles. First year tuition for all US students is $46,235. The program can be completed in 4 years, and they offer a degree in Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). West Coast University School of Pharmacy participates in the Early Assurance Program and does prefer a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
Western University of Health Sciences College of Pharmacy is a private university in the city of Pomona. First year tuition for all students is $50,675. The program can be completed in 4 years, and they offer a degree in Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). Western University of Health Sciences College of Pharmacy participates in the Early Assurance Program and prefers a bachelor's degree. (learn more)
California Admission Requirements
Getting into a PharmD program comes with many choices. In California for example, there is a traditional 3-4 program, and 4 year PharmD program and even dual degree programs (Ph.D., M.P.H, and MBA) who are currently accepting applications.
California Pharmacy School Info and Requirements
Although there are 30 public and private universities that offer pharmacy programs, to become a pharmacist in the state of California you’ll need to complete a PharmD degree from a school accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
California has more ACPE-accredited PharmD programs than any other state - currently at 14 schools.
As the role of pharmacists evolves into a health care provider, the demand is encouraging more and more schools to offer the doctor of pharmacy degree. If you are a student looking to attend graduate school in CA, then that’s good news for you. With so many offerings, you’ll find a wide range of admission requirements, tuition and program offerings.
| Number of schools with Dual Degree programs | 9 |
|---|---|
| Public/State Pharmacy Schools in California | 2 |
| Private Pharmacy Schools in California | 12 |
| California Pharmacy School Applicants (estimated): | 6,186 |
| Schools Requiring B.S Degree | 8 |
| Number of Pharmacy Schools: | 14 |
California Pharmacy School Prerequisites
Course requirements and prerequisites for admission are different for every school. If you know you want to attend a pharmacy school in California but aren’t sure if you’ve taken the necessary classes, you’re in luck. Below are the general course requirements for the 14 PharmD programs in California.
| School: | American Univ | Ca Health Sciences | Ca Northstate | Chapman | Keck | Loma Linda | Marshall B. Ketchum | Touro Ca | UCSD | UCSF | USC | Univ of the Pacific | West Coast Univ | Western Univ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anatomy | R | R | CR | R | R | R | R | |||||||
| Physiology | R | R | CR | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | ||
| Biology / Biological Science: | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | |
| Microbiology: | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | ||||
| Chemistry: | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Biochemistry: | CR | R | CR | R | CR | |||||||||
| Physics: | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | CR | ||||||
| Math: | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | |
| Statistics: | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | |||||||
| Economics: | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | CR | ||||
| English Composition / Writing: | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | |||
| Communication / Speech (Verbal): | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | ||||
| Social / Behavioral Science: | CR | CR | CR | R | R | R | CR | CR | CR | |||||
| Psychology: | CR | R | R | CR | R | R | R | CR | ||||||
| Humanities: | R | CR | R | CR | R | CR | ||||||||
| General Elective(s): | R | R | R | CR |
R=Required, CR=Conditionally Required
Note: The course requirements listed in this chart were compiled in December 2019 and may have changed. Additionally some schools may require more than one class in each subject.
California State Pharmacy School Accreditation
The state of California recognizes the national ACPE accreditation as the standard for the state. ACPE accreditation is public recognition that a professional degree program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree is judged to meet established qualifications and education standards through initial and subsequent periodic evaluations.
ACPE requires all programs it accredits to meet the expectations of all 25 of ACPE’s accreditation standards. There are currently 14 schools in California that offer the PharmD that are recognized as ACPE-accredited.
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