by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 35 U.S. colleges awarded 544 degrees and certificates in Pharmaceutics and Drug Design. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 48% of graduates. College Factual ranks 15 schools in its 2027 Best Pharmaceutics and Drug Design Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $100,478 one year after completing, rising to $136,209 after four years.
A major in Pharmaceutics and Drug Design explores 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. 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. Examples: [Pharmaceutics And Drug Design (Ms)], [Pharmaceutics And Drug Design (Phd)].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, pharmaceutics and drug design is a widely-pursued major, with 544 degrees awarded annually. 35 colleges award pharmaceutics and drug design degrees, an average of 16 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 87.
By level, the 544 awards include 152 bachelor’s degrees, 262 master’s degrees and 130 doctorates.
Women earned 54% of pharmaceutics and drug design degrees and certificates in the latest year (296 of 544). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (238) and Asian (65), and international students earned 143.
College Factual ranks 15 schools in its 2027 Best Pharmaceutics and Drug Design Schools ranking, including 9 for bachelor’s degrees, 9 for master’s degrees and 5 for doctorates. It also ranks pharmaceutics and drug design schools within 15 states. In all, 35 colleges offer pharmaceutics and drug design programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Pharmaceutics and Drug Design Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common pharmaceutics and drug design credential is the master’s degree: 262 of the 544 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to pharmaceutics and drug design call most for Reading Comprehension, Speaking and Writing, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Biology, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Written Expression.
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How long a pharmaceutics and drug design degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 152 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 262 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 130 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to pharmaceutics and drug design, at 32.7%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 32.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 25.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 21.0% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 12.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.5% |
| First professional degree | 0.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.6% |
Source: O*NET Online.
3 occupations are related to Pharmaceutics and Drug Design, with an average median salary of $88,652; the strongest outlook belongs to Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary, at 10.7% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Hearing Therapy Teacher, Speech Pathology Teacher, Hygiene Teacher and Inhalation Therapy Teacher.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to pharmaceutics and drug design, at 1,335,407.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 125,815 | 8.9% |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | 95,666 | 3.7% |
Pharmaceutics and Drug Design graduates earn a median $100,478 one year after completing their program, $136,209 after four years and $140,038 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $100,478 |
| 4 years | $136,209 |
| 5 years | $140,038 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to pharmaceutics and drug design is Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists, with a median salary of $111,314.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $111,314 |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | $107,979 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
Pharmaceutics and Drug Design has 11 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 16,855 degrees a year; the largest are Pharmacy (11,415), Pharmaceutical Sciences (2,572) and Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, Other (911). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
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