How long is pharmacy school?
Pharmacy school takes four academic years in a standard PharmD program, after two to four years of undergraduate prerequisites.[1] BLS notes that PharmD programs "usually take 4 years to finish, although some programs offer a 3-year option," and that some schools admit students straight from high school into a six-year program that combines prerequisites and the PharmD. A bachelor's degree is not always required before you start.
| Route | Prerequisites | PharmD | Total after high school |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 + 4 (most common) | At least 2 years of college courses | 4 years | 6 years or more |
| Bachelor's first | 4-year degree | 4 years | 8 years |
| 0–6 (early assurance, from high school) | Built into the program | 6 years in total | 6 years |
| Accelerated | 2+ years of college courses | 3 calendar years, year-round | 5–6 years |
A residency is optional: BLS says pharmacists who want clinical or advanced roles may complete one, typically lasting one to two years, and a two-year residency trains you in a specialty area.[1] Add one to two years if that is your goal.
Pharmacy school requirements
Pharmacy school requirements are set by each PharmD program, so check its admissions page.[1][2]
- At least two years of prerequisite undergraduate courses, such as anatomy and physiology, physics and statistics (BLS); each school publishes its exact list.
- An application, usually through PharmCAS, the centralized application service run with AACP; AACP's old admission-requirement tables now live in PharmCAS Compare Pharm.D.
- An interview and the school's other requirements, which vary by program.
- No PCAT: the admissions test was retired in January 2024 (see below).
The Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is gone: AACP says it "was retired on January 10, 2024," and no PCAT test dates are offered for the 2024–2025 admissions cycle or later. Older guides that list PCAT scores as a requirement are out of date.[3]
What you study
A PharmD includes courses in the sciences, pharmacology and pharmacy law, plus supervised work experiences, sometimes called internships, in settings such as hospitals and retail pharmacies (BLS). Pharmacists typically need the degree from an accredited program; in the U.S. the accreditor is the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).[1]
Choosing a PharmD program
There were 142 U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy with accredited (full or candidate status) professional degree programs as of December 2023, and they enrolled 44,403 PharmD students in fall 2023, according to AACP.[4] Schools ranged from 20 to 1,214 students. Check accreditation status first: BLS notes that pharmacists typically need a PharmD from an accredited program.[1]
- Format: traditional four-year programs, three-year year-round programs, and early-assurance programs that admit students from high school.
- Cost: in-state public tuition can be less than half of private tuition; the 2026–27 numbers and payback are on pharmacy school cost.
- Where you will practice: rotations are usually near the school, which shapes your first job network.
After pharmacy school
Graduating is not the finish line: you still need two licensing exams (the NAPLEX and a pharmacy law exam), your state's internship hours, and for clinical jobs often a one- to two-year residency.[1][5] The exams cost $620 and $270 including NABP's application fees. Every step from prerequisites to license, with time and cost, is on how to become a pharmacist.
Is pharmacist school worth it?
Pharmacists earn a $140,910 median (BLS, May 2025), but the degree is expensive and the job market has changed: BLS projects 5% employment growth from 2025 to 2035 and about 12,500 openings a year.[6][1] The payback depends mostly on what you borrow; run your numbers on pharmacy school cost, see pay by state on pharmacist salary, and compare with the much shorter route on how to become a pharmacy technician. Many pharmacy students work as technicians first; technician pay is on pharmacy technician salary.
Frequently asked questions
How many years is pharmacy school?
Four years for a standard PharmD, after at least two years of prerequisites, so usually six to eight years after high school. Accelerated PharmD programs take three calendar years.
Do you need a bachelor’s degree to go to pharmacy school?
Not usually. Most PharmD programs require two to three years of specific college prerequisites, not a full degree, and some admit students directly from high school into a six-year program. Many applicants have a bachelor's degree anyway.
Is the PCAT still required?
No. AACP retired the PCAT on January 10, 2024, and no test dates are offered for the 2024–2025 admissions cycle or later.
How much do the pharmacist licensing exams cost?
The NAPLEX costs $620 and the MPJE $270 (NABP), plus any state board license fee.
Sources
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Pharmacists
- Pharmacy School Admission Requirements (now in PharmCAS Compare Pharm.D.)
- PCAT Resources (PCAT retired January 10, 2024)
- Academic Pharmacy's Vital Statistics (142 accredited programs, Dec 2023; 44,403 PharmD students, fall 2023)
- NAPLEX/MPJE Candidate Application Bulletin, Section 16: Overview of Exam Fees
- Local Wages: 29-1051.00 Pharmacists (state and metro percentiles)