Best institutions to study Pharmaceutics and Drug Design
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the formulation of medicinal substances into product vehicles capable of being stored, transported, and then introduced into the patient and behaving in ways optimal to therapeutic interaction.
35 U.S. institutions graduated 544 Pharmaceutics and Drug Design students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 51.2003, a specialization of Pharmacy (CIP 51.20), and leads most directly to the Biochemists and Biophysicists occupation (BLS SOC 19-1021).
About Pharmaceutics and Drug Design programs
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the formulation of medicinal substances into product vehicles capable of being stored, transported, and then introduced into the patient and behaving in ways optimal to therapeutic interaction. Includes instruction in statistics, biopharmaceutics, drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, physical pharmacy, pharmacological analysis, drug design and development, pharmacological biotechnology, chemical separations, spectroscopy, drug-host interactions, immunology, quantitative drug measurement, enzymatic transformations, and metabolic excretion.
See also: 26.1001 - Pharmacology.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Pharmaceutics and Drug Design program, a specialized branch of Pharmacy, delves into the formulation of medicinal substances into effective product vehicles. This program is designed for students interested in the scientific principles behind drug development and delivery, equipping them with the necessary skills to optimize therapeutic interactions with patients. Students in this program will explore various aspects of drug design, metabolism, and pharmacology, making it ideal for those aiming to contribute to advancements in healthcare through innovative pharmaceutical solutions.
Core coursework in this program includes biopharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, drug design, and pharmacological analysis. Students will also gain essential skills in critical thinking, scientific writing, and data analysis, preparing them for complex challenges in the field of drug development.
Credentials awarded
What Pharmaceutics and Drug Design graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree227 graduates / yr · 19 institutions42%
- Bachelor's degree152 graduates / yr · 7 institutions28%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship130 graduates / yr · 29 institutions24%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate35 graduates / yr · 3 institutions6.4%
Graduates over time
Pharmaceutics and Drug Design completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 466 |
| 2013 | 546 |
| 2014 | 449 |
| 2015 | 417 |
| 2016 | 425 |
| 2017 | 408 |
| 2018 | 480 |
| 2019 | 500 |
| 2020 | 538 |
| 2021 | 501 |
| 2022 | 541 |
| 2023 | 551 |
| 2024 | 603 |
| 2025 | 544 |
Top 35 institutions for Pharmaceutics and Drug Design, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WIPublicMaster'sPost-degree cert.Doctoral | 87 | 90% | — | — |
| 2 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, INPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 55 | 83% | — | $57,096 |
| 3 | University of Maryland, Baltimore Baltimore, MDPublicMaster's | 41 | — | — | — |
| 4 | South Dakota State University Brookings, SDPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 39 | 62% | — | — |
| 5 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 37 | 85% | — | — |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NCPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 36 | 91% | — | — |
| 7 | University of Georgia Athens, GAPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 31 | 90% | — | — |
| 8 | University of New Mexico - Main Campus Albuquerque, NMPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 26 | 55% | — | — |
| 9 | University of Toledo Toledo, OHPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 19 | 57% | — | $44,466 |
| 10 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KYPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 17 | 71% | — | — |
| 11 | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoral | 15 | 62% | $35,358 | $47,882 |
| 12 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 14 | 92% | $26,873 | — |
| 13 | Wayne State University Detroit, MIPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 13 | 58% | — | — |
| 14 | Temple University Philadelphia, PAPublicPost-degree cert.Bachelor's | 13 | 75% | — | — |
| 15 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KSPublicDoctoralMaster's | 10 | 69% | — | — |
| 16 | University of the Pacific Stockton, CAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster's | 9 | 69% | $23,964 | — |
| 17 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester, PAPublicBachelor's | 9 | 71% | — | — |
| 18 | University of Rhode Island Kingston, RIPublicDoctoralMaster's | 9 | 73% | — | — |
| 19 | Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster's | 8 | 77% | $32,060 | — |
| 20 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicDoctoralMaster's | 7 | 85% | — | — |
| 21 | University of Connecticut Storrs, CTPublicDoctoral | 6 | 83% | — | — |
| 22 | Tufts University Medford, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 6 | 94% | $23,570 | — |
| 23 | University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SCPublicDoctoralMaster's | 6 | 79% | — | — |
| 24 | University of Mississippi University, MSPublicDoctoral | 5 | 72% | — | — |
| 25 | Auburn University Auburn, ALPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 4 | 82% | — | — |
| 26 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UTPublicDoctoral | 4 | 65% | — | — |
| 27 | Northeast Ohio Medical University Rootstown, OHPublicDoctoralPost-degree cert. | 3 | — | — | — |
| 28 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral | 3 | 79% | $34,418 | $57,889 |
| 29 | Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, SCPublicDoctoral | 3 | — | — | — |
| 30 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IAPublicDoctoral | 2 | 75% | — | — |
| 31 | Long Island University Brookville, NYPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral | 2 | 57% | $24,639 | — |
| 32 | University of Houston Houston, TXPublicDoctoral | 2 | 65% | — | — |
| 33 | University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe, LAPublicDoctoral | 1 | 54% | — | — |
| 34 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VAPublicDoctoral | 1 | 63% | — | — |
| 35 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WVPublicDoctoral | 1 | 65% | — | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Pharmacy field (CIP 51.20) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 28 states
Where Pharmaceutics and Drug Design graduates come from. Each state links to all Pharmacy programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-1021, Biochemists and Biophysicists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Pharmaceutics and Drug Design program can pursue careers as biochemists, medical scientists, or health specialties teachers. The job outlook is favorable, with a projected growth rate of 5.8% and approximately 2,900 annual openings. The median wage for these professionals is $103,650, typically requiring a doctoral or professional degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 51.2003
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Biochemists and Biophysicistsprimary SOC 19-1021 | $127,410 | +5.8% Faster than average | ~2,900 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1071 | $107,310 | +17.3% Much faster than average | ~27,400 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists SOC 19-1042 | $103,410 | +8.7% Much faster than average | ~9,600 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Pharmaceutics and Drug Design programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences.
- Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research.
- Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology.
- Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work.
- Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes.
- Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.
Tools and technology used
Other Pharmacy specializations
The 11 other 6-digit CIP codes under Pharmacy (CIP 51.20).
- PharmacyCIP 51.200111,406 graduates / yr144 institutions
- Pharmaceutical SciencesCIP 51.20102,563 graduates / yr79 institutions
- Industrial and Physical Pharmacy and Cosmetic SciencesCIP 51.2009909 graduates / yr11 institutions
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and AdministrationCIP 51.2099909 graduates / yr21 institutions
- Clinical and Industrial Drug DevelopmentCIP 51.2006250 graduates / yr13 institutions
- Medicinal and Pharmaceutical ChemistryCIP 51.2004188 graduates / yr29 institutions
- Pharmacy Administration and Pharmacy Policy and Regulatory AffairsCIP 51.2002179 graduates / yr11 institutions
- Pharmacoeconomics/CIP 51.2007
Pharmaceutical Economics 150 graduates / yr16 institutions - Natural Products Chemistry and PharmacognosyCIP 51.2005partial data130 graduates / yr7 institutions
- Pharmaceutical Marketing and ManagementCIP 51.2011partial data122 graduates / yr8 institutions
- Clinical, Hospital, and Managed Care PharmacyCIP 51.2008partial data28 graduates / yr5 institutions
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, Doctor's degree, or a Postbaccalaureate certificate.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in science, critical thinking, writing, and active learning.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can work as a biochemist, medical scientist, or health specialties teacher.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is faster than average, with a growth rate of 5.8% and about 2,900 openings annually.
What is the CIP code for Pharmaceutics and Drug Design?+
Pharmaceutics and Drug Design is CIP 51.2003 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Pharmacy (CIP 51.20). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the scientific study of the formulation of medicinal substances into product vehicles capable of being stored, transported, and then introduced into the patient and behaving in ways optimal to therapeutic interaction. Includes instruction in statistics, biopharmaceutics, drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, physical pharmacy, pharmacological analysis, drug design and development, pharmacological biotechnology, chemical separations, spectroscopy, drug-host interactions, immunology, quantitative drug measurement, enzymatic transformations, and metabolic excretion.
How many institutions offer Pharmaceutics and Drug Design programs?+
35 U.S. institutions reported Pharmaceutics and Drug Design graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 28 states, awarding 544 credentials in the year. That is 3.1% of all Pharmacy graduates.
How much do Pharmaceutics and Drug Design graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Biochemists and Biophysicists occupation, which Pharmaceutics and Drug Design most directly leads to, pays a median of $127,410 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Pharmacy field report median earnings of $57,096 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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