Illinois · Pharmacy

Best colleges for Pharmacy in Illinois

Ranked by graduates a year

University of Illinois Chicago, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Roosevelt University award the most Pharmacy degrees and certificates in Illinois: 181, 68 and 37 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 7 Illinois colleges offer Pharmacy and award 422 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Pharmacy program, officially titled Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, focuses on the study of medicines and their effects on health. This program is designed for students interested in understanding pharmacology…

Institutions
7
offering CIP 51.20
States offered
49
with a program page
Degrees / yr
422
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
—
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Median net price
$21,085
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
49%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Pharmacists
$138,070
BLS OEWS May 2025

7 institutions offering Pharmacy in Illinois

Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago Public
—18162%——
2Midwestern University - Downers Grove
Downers Grove Private not-for-profit Graduate only
—86———
3Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville Public
—6857%——
4Roosevelt University
Chicago Private not-for-profit
—3735%$21,085—
5Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
North Chicago Private not-for-profit Graduate only
—34———
6Chicago State University
Chicago Public
—1015%——
7Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago Private not-for-profit
—675%$19,899—

Colleges awarding the most Pharmacy degrees in Illinois

Top 4 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago Public
181Not reported
2Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville Public
68Not reported
3Roosevelt University
Chicago Private not-for-profit
37Not reported
4Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago Private not-for-profit
6Not reported
Show the other 3 Illinois colleges offering Pharmacy
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Midwestern University - Downers Grove (Graduate only)Downers GrovePrivate not-for-profit86
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (Graduate only)North ChicagoPrivate not-for-profit34
Chicago State UniversityChicagoPublic10

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Pharmacists (SOC 29-1051).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.6%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~14,200
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$137,480
typically Doctoral or professional degree

Top skills

SpeakingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningMonitoringWritingCritical Thinking

What Pharmacists earn in Illinois

Jobs in Illinois
12,070
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$138,070
median $139,080
Best-paying metro
$143,090
Bloomington, IL

Related careers

Sales Managers
$167,030 avg · 32,240 jobs
Medical and Health Services Managers
$139,160 avg · 22,460 jobs
Marketing Managers
$170,370 avg · 21,140 jobs
Pharmacists
$138,070 avg · 12,070 jobs
Industrial Production Managers
$135,560 avg · 11,570 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Pharmacy programs in Illinois.

Which Illinois colleges award the most Pharmacy degrees?+

University of Illinois Chicago (181 graduates a year), Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (68 graduates a year) and Roosevelt University (37 graduates a year) award the most Pharmacy degrees and certificates in Illinois, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 7 Illinois colleges offer Pharmacy.

How much do Pharmacists earn in Illinois?+

The average annual wage for Pharmacists in Illinois is $138,070 (median $139,080), across about 12,070 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Pharmacy program?+

The Pharmacy program, officially titled Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, focuses on the study of medicines and their effects on health. This program is designed for students interested in understanding pharmacology…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop speaking, reading comprehension, active listening, monitoring, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Pharmacists?+

The national job outlook is about +4.6% growth with around 14,200 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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