2026 Best Value Pharmacology & Toxicology Schools in California

[Pharmacology & Toxicology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/pharmacology-and-toxicology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for pharmacology & toxicology students.
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2026 Best Value Pharmacology & Toxicology Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in pharmacology & toxicology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Pharmacology & Toxicology Schools
For return on investment in pharmacology & toxicology, no school beat University Of California Irvine this year. Located in the city of Irvine, University Of California Irvine is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,752, compared with $46,640 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for pharmacology & toxicology graduates is $16,539. Soon after graduation, pharmacology & toxicology degree recipients from University Of California Irvine generally make around $50,958. That is a strong return on a $16,539 median debt. The acceptance rate is 29%.
University Of California Santa Barbara is a great value for students pursuing a degree in pharmacology & toxicology, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of California Santa Barbara is a very large public school located in the suburb of Santa Barbara. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,444, compared with $47,332 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for pharmacology & toxicology graduates is $14,500. Early-career pharmacology & toxicology graduates make about $39,421. Set against $14,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of California Santa Barbara admits about 33% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in pharmacology & toxicology will find it at University Of California Los Angeles, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,233 in tuition and fees, compared with $46,121 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,097 to complete the pharmacology & toxicology program here. Soon after graduation, pharmacology & toxicology degree recipients from University Of California Los Angeles generally make around $63,833. That is a strong return on a $16,097 median debt. University Of California Los Angeles admits about 9% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of California Davis one of the best values for pharmacology & toxicology. University Of California Davis is a very large public school located in the suburb of Davis. Students from in state pay about $15,804 in tuition and fees, compared with $47,692 for out-of-state students. Pharmacology & Toxicology graduates carry a median of $11,811 in student loans. Pharmacology & Toxicology graduates of University Of California Davis earn a median of $39,202 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,811 median debt. University Of California Davis admits about 42% of applicants.
University Of Southern California is a great value for students pursuing a degree in pharmacology & toxicology, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $71,647. Pharmacology & Toxicology graduates carry a median of $15,625 in student loans. Pharmacology & Toxicology graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $75,677 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,625 median debt. Roughly 10% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.