top of page
AACP Profile of Pharmacy Students
Fall 2021

UP - Faculty, Applications & Attrition Rate

DOWN - Enrollment, Students, Schools & PharmD Degrees

Student Applications, Enrollments and Degrees Conferred  
 

Profile

2021 - 7,000 faculty, 53,000 students enrolled in professional programs, and 7,000 individuals                         pursuing graduate study.

2020 - 6,700 faculty, 58,000 students enrolled in professional programs, and 7,000 individuals                         pursuing graduate study.  
2019 - 6,700 faculty, 61,000 students enrolled in professional programs, and 6,000 individuals                         pursuing graduate study 
2018 - 6,800 faculty, 63,200 students enrolled in professional programs, and 6,000 individuals                         pursuing graduate study  
2017 - 6,600 faculty, 63,800 students enrolled in professional programs, and 5,800 individuals                         pursuing graduate study
2016 - 6,600 faculty, 64,300 students enrolled in professional programs, and 6,000 individuals                         pursuing graduate study
2015 - 6,600 faculty, 64,400 students enrolled in professional programs, and 5,800 individuals                         pursuing graduate study
2014 - 6,600 faculty, 64,800 students enrolled in professional programs, and 4,900 individuals                         pursuing graduate study
2013 - 6,400 faculty, 63,800 students enrolled in professional programs, and 4,800 individuals                         pursuing graduate study
2012 - 6,500 faculty, 62,500 students enrolled in professional programs, and 5,100 individuals                         pursuing graduate study


Fall Enrollment (Number of first professional year enrollments decreased 6.7 percent.) 

2021 - 53,516 students were enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.1) as the first professional             degree programs, 6.7% decrease from fall 2020
2020 - 57,375 students were enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.1) as the first professional             degree programs, 5.4% decrease from fall 2019
2019 - 60,594 students were enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.1) as the first professional             degree programs, 5.5% decrease from fall 2018

2018 - 62,504 students were enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.1) as the first professional             degree programs, 0.4% decrease from fall 2017  

2017 - 63,087 students were enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.1) as the first professional             degree programs, 0.8% decrease from fall 2016

2016 - 63,464 students were enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.1) as the first professional             degree programs
2015 - 63,460 students were enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.1) as the first professional             degree programs
2014 - 63,927 students were enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.1) as the first professional             degree programs
2013 - 62,743 students were enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.1) as the first professional             degree programs
2012 - 61,275 students were enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.1) as the first professional             degree programs


Number of accredited U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy

2021 - 142 U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy (140 submitted data) with accredited (full,                            candidate and precandidate status) professional degree programs.
2020 - 144 (141 submitted data) / Accredited 141 full, candidate and pre-candidate status. Due to                  some accreditation changes for three schools in 2020 (California Health Sciences, Hampton,                and Midwestern), this year’s report lists a total of 144 colleges and schools.)
2019 - 144 (144 submitted data) / Accredited 144 (Full-132, Candidate Status-8, Probation-3) / Pre-                  candidate Status 1 (American University of Health Sciences School of Pharmacy) &                                Discontinued (South Carolina College of Pharmacy)

2018 - 143 (143 submitted data) / Accredited 143 (Full-133, Candidate Status-8, Probation-2) / Pre-                  candidate Status 1 (William Carey University School of Pharmacy)

2017 - 142 (140 submitted data) / Accredited 138 (Full or Candidate Status) / Pre-candidate Status 4
2016 - 138 (137 submitted data) / Accredited 131 (Full or Candidate Status 6) / Pre-candidate                          Status 4
2015 - 135 (133 submitted data)
2014 - 133 (131 submitted data)
2013 - 130 (127 submitted data)
2012 - 129 (127 submitted data)


Applications

2021 - 40,552 .004% Increase over fall 2020. Applications submitted to first professional degree                     programs at schools and colleges of pharmacy.
2020 - 40,392 20.55% Decrease over 2019! Applications submitted to first professional degree                       programs at schools and colleges of pharmacy.
2019 - 50,842 15.32% Decrease over 2018 AND 1 More School since 2018! Applications submitted                 to first professional degree programs at schools and colleges of pharmacy

2018 - 60,042 17.68% Decrease over 2017 AND 1 More School since 2017! Applications submitted                 to first professional degree programs at schools and colleges of pharmacy   

2017 - 72,941 7.06% Decrease over 2016 AND 4 More Schools since 2016! Applications submitted                 to first professional degree programs at schools and colleges of pharmacy

2016 - 78,514  2.53% Increase over 2015 BUT 4 More Schools since 2015! Applications submitted                   to first professional degree programs at schools and colleges of pharmacy

2015 - 76,525  10.7% Decrease! Applications received by colleges and schools of pharmacy for                     every one entering student enrolled is no longer being tracked and/or published

2014 - 85,754  5.5 applications were received by colleges and schools of pharmacy for every one                   entering student enrolled in fall 2014
2013 - 87,956  5.6 applications were received by colleges and schools of pharmacy for every one                   entering student enrolled in fall 2013
2012 - 99,821  6.4 applications were received by colleges and schools of pharmacy for every one                   entering student enrolled in fall 2012
2011 - 112,000 Approx. This ratio for 2010-11 was 7.0 applications for every one entering student in               fall 2011


PharmD Degrees conferred

2021 - 14,223 0.7% Decrease
2020 - 14,320 3.25% Decrease
2019 - 14,800 0.705% Decrease
2018 - 14,905 2.8% Increase. This is the largest number of degrees conferred in the history of                          pharmacy education

2017 - 14,502 0.0372% Decrease
2016 - 14,556 0.0386% Increase
2015 - 13,994  1.1 % Increase 
2014 - 13,838 4.8 % Increase
2013 - 13,207 3.8% Increase
2012 - 12,719 6.6% Increase
2011 - 11,931


Attrition rate (Increasing for the last 18+ years from near zero in the early 2000’s!)

2021 - 13.1%  The attrition rate includes academic dismissals, student withdrawals, and delayed                      graduations.
2020 - 12.5%
2019 - 12.6%
2018 - 12.1% 

2017 - 12.1% 
2016 - 12.0%
2015 - 11.6%
2014 - 10.3%
2013 - 11.1%
2012 - 10.2%


PharmD degrees conferred to individuals already holding a professional baccalaureate in pharmacy

2021 - 186 Increased by .06% from 2019 - 2020
2020 - 175 Decreased by 43.92% from 2018-19
2019 - 312 Increased by 52.2% from 2017-18
2018 - 205 Decreased by 5.5% from 2016-17   

2017 - 217 Decreased by 33.5% from 2015-16 
2016 - 326 Increased by 16.3 percent from 2014-15
2015 - 273 Decreased by 19.5 percent from 2013-14
2014 - 339
2013 - 344
2012 - 444


Number of individuals enrolled in postbaccalaureate Pharm.D.

2021 - 582 The number of individuals enrolled in postbaccalaureate Pharm.D. programs decreased               9% from fall 2020
2020 - 640 The number of individuals enrolled in postbaccalaureate Pharm.D. programs increased                 to 640 from 622 in fall 2019.
2019 - 622 The number of individuals enrolled in postbaccalaureate Pharm.D. 2 programs                               decreased by another 18.6% to 622 from 764 enrolled  in fall 2018

2018 - 764 The number of individuals enrolled in postbaccalaureate Pharm.D. 2 programs                               decreased by another 1.2% to 764 from 773 enrolled in fall 2017  

2017 - 773 The number of individuals enrolled in postbaccalaureate Pharm.D. 2 programs                               decreased by another 8.0% to 773 from 840 enrolled  in fall 2016

2016 - 840 The number of individuals enrolled in postbaccalaureate Pharm.D. 2 programs                               decreased by 10.3% to 840 from 936 enrolled in fall 2015

2015 - 936 The number of individuals enrolled in postbaccalaureate Pharm.D. 2 programs increased             slightly to 936 from 935 enrolled in fall 2014

2014 - 935 The number of Pharm.D.2 students enrolled (n=935) decreased by 16.4 percent from fall               2013
2013 - 1,118 The number of Pharm.D.2 students enrolled (n=1,118) decreased by 11.3 percent from                fall 2012
2012 - 1,260 The number of Pharm.D.2 students enrolled (n=1,260) decreased by 6.0 percent from                  fall 2011


M.S. degrees conferred

2021 - 1,403 The number of M.S. degrees increased to 1,403 from 1,130 in 2019–20 and the number              of Ph.D. degrees conferred (n= 595) increased 12.5 percent from 2019–20
2020 - 1,130 The number of M.S. degrees increased to 1,130 from 1,128 in 2018–19 and the number              of Ph.D. degrees conferred (n =529) decreased 11.8 percent from 2018–19.
2019 - 1128 The number of M.S. degrees conferred increased 7.7% in 2018-19 and the number of                  Ph.D. degrees conferred remained flat at 600 in 2018–19

2018 - 1047 The number of M.S. degrees conferred increased 8.8% in 2017-18 and the number of                  Ph.D. degrees conferred (n=600) increased 11.7 percent   

2017 - 962 The number of M.S. degrees conferred decreased 6.0% in 2016-17 and the number of                   Ph.D. degrees conferred (n=537) decreased 1.8 percent

2016 - 1,023 The number of M.S. degrees conferred increased 42.1% in 2015-16 and the number of                Ph.D. degrees  conferred decreased 2.5 percent

2015 - 720 7.1% decrease
2014 - 775 18.3% increase
2013 - 655
2012 - 681


First professional degrees conferred. (Percentage of women rising for 9+ years)

2021 - 63.7% Women & 36.2% Men. The gender was not reported or unknown for 0.1 percent of                   applications.
2020 - 64.0% Women & 35.9% Men. The gender was not reported or unknown for 0.2 percent of                   applications.
2019 - 62.0% Women & 37.3% Men & Unknown/other gender received 0.6  
2018 - 61.2% Women & 38.6% Men   

2017 - 61.9% Women & 38.1% Men
2016 - 60.4% Women & 38.6% Men
2015 - 61.6% Women & 38.4% Men
2014 - 60.4% Women & 39.6% Men
2013 - 61.7% Women & 38.3% Men
2012 - 61.2% Women & 38.8% Men

AACP PROFILE OF PHARMACY STUDENTS FALL 2021

Student Applications, Enrollments and Degrees Conferred  

jobs

bottom of page