2026 Best Value Pharmacy Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in pharmacy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Pharmacy Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of California San Diego the best value for a degree in pharmacy in California. University Of California San Diego is a very large public school located in the city of La Jolla. In-state tuition and fees average $15,788, compared with $47,676 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for pharmacy graduates is $17,101. Pharmacy graduates of University Of California San Diego earn a median of $113,226 early in their careers. Set against $17,101 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 27%.
University Of The Pacific is a great value for students pursuing a degree in pharmacy, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of The Pacific is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Stockton. In-state tuition and fees average $57,080. Typical student debt for pharmacy graduates is $23,514. Early-career pharmacy graduates make about $113,111. Set against $23,514 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of The Pacific admits about 71% of applicants.
University Of Southern California came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value pharmacy schools. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $71,647. Typical student debt for pharmacy graduates is $15,625. Pharmacy graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $114,101 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 10% of applicants are accepted.
Chapman University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in pharmacy, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Orange, Chapman University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $64,984. Pharmacy graduates carry a median of $21,657 in student loans. Soon after graduation, pharmacy degree recipients from Chapman University generally make around $78,465. That is a strong return on a $21,657 median debt. Roughly 65% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 14 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.
[Pharmacy](/majors/health-care-professions/pharmacy-pharmaceutical-sciences/pharmacy/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong pharmacy education at a price that pays off.
