INTRODUCTION
This report presents data that describe the 2020-21 pharmacy application pool, degrees conferred in 2020-21, and fall 2021 pharmacy program enrollments. As of fall 2021 there were 142 colleges and schools of pharmacy with accredited (full, candidate, and precandidate status) professional degree programs. Data for this report were requested from 142 U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy with enrollments using five separate survey instruments.
There were previously two professional education programs at U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy: one leading to a baccalaureate in pharmacy, and the other leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree. However, June 30, 2005, marked the official expiration of the ACPE standards to the baccalaureate in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) degree programs in accordance with the transition to the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree as the sole professional degree program for the pharmacy profession in the U.S. Some colleges and schools of pharmacy conferred degrees in the BS Pharmacy program until 2004-05.
Additionally, some students with a BS Pharmacy degree, who are eligible to be licensed pharmacists, choose to return to school to obtain their PharmD degree. For this report, students in Doctor of Pharmacy programs are categorized under PharmD1 where the program leads to a Doctor of Pharmacy degree conferred as their first professional degree in pharmacy. Students who have already received a baccalaureate in pharmacy and enroll in a Doctor of Pharmacy degree program are categorized under PharmD2.
The following definitions refer to the race and ethnicity groups used in this report:
White refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
Black or African American refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
Hispanic or Latino refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
Asian refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. Prior to 2011, these students were included in the Asian category.
American Indian or Alaska Native refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.
Two or More Races refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are not Hispanic or Latino and identify themselves by more than one race.
Unknown refers to U.S. citizens or permanent residents whose race and ethnicity are not known. Prior to 2011, this category was labeled Other/Unknown and students that were of two or more races were included in this category.
International/Foreign refers to citizens of a foreign country/permanent residents of a country other than the U.S.
Unknown/Other Gender refers to individuals with an unknown or other gender, regardless of their race/ethnicity or citizenship.
2020-21 APPLICATION POOL
The 2020-21 Application Pool Survey was conducted online in October 2021 with an announcement and request for participation sent to the survey coordinator at each of the 142 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the U.S. with student enrollments. After follow-up correspondence, 140 colleges and schools (98.6%) submitted the requested information. Included in the application pool are applicants who applied for admission and submitted all required application materials as defined by the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) between September 2020 and August 2021 for the entering class of fall 2021. Numbers reported represent the number of applications, not applicants, and may represent multiple applications submitted by individual applicants.
During the period September 2020 through August 2021, 140 institutions reported received 40,552 applications for admission.
In 2020-21, females submitted 65.6% of the applications to pharmacy colleges and schools; males submitted 34.3%. Gender was not reported or unknown for 0.1% of applications. The two largest applicant groups by race/ethnicity were White Americans, submitting 37.4% of applications and Asian Americans representing 25.7% of the total applications. Underrepresented minorities submitted 25.5% of total applications (Black or African American, 13.5%; Hispanic or Latino, 11.5%; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 0.2%; American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.3%). Applications submitted from students that identified as two or more races totaled 3.5% and 5.7% of the applications were submitted by foreign, nonpermanent residents [Table 1]. Applications were almost split between in-state and out of state residents where 52.4% of applications came from in-state residents and 47.6% came from out-of-state residents.
Distribution of 2020-21 Applications by Gender and Race/Ethnicity of Applicanta
Over 72% (72.8%) of the applications to colleges and schools of pharmacy were submitted by individuals who had 3 or more years of postsecondary experience (3 or more years of college/no degree, 32.2%; baccalaureate, 36.8%; master’s, 3.3%; doctoral degree, 0.5%), [Table 2].
Distribution of 2020-21 Applications to First Professional Degree Programs by Gender and Previous Postsecondary Experience of Applicanta
2020-21 DEGREES CONFERRED
The 2020-21 Undergraduate and Professional Pharmacy Degrees Conferred and Graduate Pharmacy Degrees Conferred surveys were conducted online in October 2021, with an announcement and request for participation sent to the survey coordinator at each of the 142 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the U.S. recognized by ACPE. Submission of the data was requested by December 2021. After follow-up correspondence, 140 colleges and schools (98.6%) submitted the Undergraduate and Professional Degrees Conferred Survey and the Graduate Degrees Conferred Survey.
Professional Degrees Conferred
Numbers of degrees conferred by U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy from 1965 to 2021 are presented in Table 3.
Number of Pharmacy Degrees Conferred 1965-2021 by Degree and Gender
First Professional Degrees Conferred
In 2020-21, 137 colleges and schools of pharmacy reported conferring the Doctor of Pharmacy as a first professional degree (PharmD1). Graduating PharmD1 class sizes ranged from 16 students to 308 students (median, 84 students). Two colleges and schools with PharmD1 enrollments did not confer degrees in 2020-21. These schools were new programs whose students had not yet progressed through the entire curriculum (American and UC Irvine). Lebanese American began reclassifying their enrollments beginning in 2018-19 as PharmD2 students; therefore, they are no longer included in these counts.
In 2020-21 there were 14,223 first professional degrees conferred by colleges and schools compared to 14,320 in 2019-20 [Table 4], representing a 0.7% decrease from the number of degrees conferred the prior year [Table 5].
Baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD1) Degrees as Percentages of Total First Professional Degrees Conferred 1981-2021
Annual Percentage Change in Number of Pharmacy Degrees Conferred 1981-2021 Over Previous Year
In 1979-80, men received 59.5% of the first professional degrees conferred by colleges and schools and women received 40.5%. Over the past 35 years, these percentages have shifted dramatically where women now receive the majority of first professional Doctor of Pharmacy degrees. In 2020-21 women received 63.7% of the first professional degrees conferred and 36.2% were received by men. Individuals with Unknown/Other Gender received 0.1% of the degrees conferred. Women received the highest percentage of degrees conferred in 2005-06 (68.2%) [Table 6].
Percentage of Pharmacy Degrees Conferred 1980-2021 by Gender
White Americans received 49.1% of first professional degrees conferred in 2020-21. Asian Americans received 24.4% of the first professional degrees. Over 16% (16.2%) of graduates in 2020-21 were underrepresented minorities (Black or African American, 8.4%; Hispanic or Latino, 7.3%; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 0.1%; American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.4%). The percentage of first professional degree recipients who were of two or more races was 3.4% and the percentage of recipients who were foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S. was 3.0% [Table 7].
Percentage of First Professional Degree (BS Pharmacy, BPharm., and PharmD1) Recipients 1980-2021 by Race/Ethnicity
Doctor of Pharmacy Degrees Conferred to Post Baccalaureate Students
Five colleges and schools conferred the PharmD degree to post baccalaureate students in 2020-21. The number of graduates per institution ranged from 18 to 72 students (median, 31 students). The number of Doctor of Pharmacy degrees conferred as postbaccalaureate degrees (PharmD2) increased 6.3% to 186 in 2020-21 from 175 in 2019-20 [Table 5]. More women than men received PharmD2 degrees in 2020-21 (women, 61.3%; men, 38.7%) [Table 6].
White Americans received 37.6% of PharmD2 degrees conferred in 2020-21. Asian Americans received 18.8% of the PharmD2 degrees conferred. Underrepresented minorities received 16.7% of the PharmD2 degrees conferred (Black or African American, 15.6%; Hispanic or Latino, 1.1%; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 0.0%; American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.0%). Students of two or more races received 2.2% of PharmD2 degrees conferred in 2020-21. The percentage of PharmD2-degree recipients who were foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S. was 15.6%, down from 18.3% in 2019-20 [Table 8].
Percentage of Postbaccalaureate Doctor of Pharmacy Degree (Pharm.D.2) Recipients 1980-2021 by Race/Ethnicity
Graduate Degrees Conferred
The number of graduate degrees (M.S. and Ph.D.) conferred has shown annual fluctuations over the 50 years data have been consistently gathered and reported [Table 3]. The number of M.S. degrees conferred increased to 1,403 in 2020-21 from 1,130 in 2019-20, a 24.2% increase. The number of Ph.D. degrees increased to 595 from 529 in 2019-20, an 12.5% increase [Table 5].
The highest percentage of M.S. degrees awarded in 2020-21 (38.1%) was in social and administrative sciences. The second highest percentage of M.S. degrees was in pharmaceutics (20.0%); followed by other disciplines (15.3%); medicinal chemistry (14.0%); pharmacology (6.3%); and finally, pharmacy practice (6.2%). The highest number of Ph.D. degrees awarded in 2020-21 was in the discipline of pharmaceutics (41.3%). The second highest number was in medicinal chemistry (19.0%); followed by pharmacology (16.3%); social and administrative sciences (10.9%); pharmacy practice (6.4%), and other disciplines (6.1%) [Table 9].
Summary of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy Degrees Conferred 2020-21 by Gender and Discipline
More women than men earned M.S. degrees (women, 68.6%; men, 30.8%; Unknown/Other Gender 0.6%); and more women than men earned Ph.D. degrees (women, 52.1%; men, 47.9%) in 2020-21. There have only been three years (2020-21, 2012-13, and 2008-09) since AACP began collecting data that women received more Ph.D. degrees than men. The percentage of women receiving Ph.D. degrees has grown substantially from only 18.0% in 1979-80 [Table 6].
Underrepresented minorities received 12.8% of M.S. degrees in 2020-21 (Black or African American, 7.0%; Hispanic or Latino, 5.1%; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 0.1%; American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.6%), remaining flat from 12.8% in 2019-20. Asian Americans received 11.6% of the M.S. degrees conferred, an increase from 10.9% in 2019-20. The percentage of M.S. degree recipients who were of two or more races was 2.0% and the% of degree recipients who were foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S. was 30.9%, slightly down from 31.0% in 2019-20 [Table 10].
Percentage of Master of Science (M.S.) Degree Recipients 1990-2021 by Race/Ethnicity
Underrepresented minorities earned 7.0% of the Ph.D. degrees awarded in 2020-21 (Black or African American, 3.5%; Hispanic or Latino, 3.2%; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 0.3%; American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.0%), remaining flat from 7.0% in 2019-20. Asian Americans earned 8.2% of the Ph.D. degrees awarded. The percentage of Ph.D. degree recipients who were of two or more races was 1.0% and the percentage of degree recipients that were foreign, nonpermanent residents of the U.S. was 52.1, a slight increase from 50.5% in 2019-20. [Table 11].
Percentage of Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.) Recipients 1980-2021 by Race/Ethnicity
FALL 2021 ENROLLMENTS
The 2021 Undergraduate and Professional Pharmacy Degree Enrollment Survey and Graduate Degree Enrollment Survey were conducted online in October 2021, with an announcement and request for participation sent to the survey coordinator at 142 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the U.S. with enrollments. Submission of the data was requested by December 2021. After follow-up correspondence, 140 colleges and schools (98.6%) submitted the requested information.
Professional Degree Programs
Fall 2021 enrollments in PharmD as the first professional degree programs (n= 53,516) represented a 6.7% decrease from enrollments in fall 2020 (n= 57,375) [Table 12]. In fall 2021, 66.0% of the students enrolled in the PharmD as the first professional degree programs were females and 33.8% were males [Table 13].
Summary of Enrollments in First Professional Degree Programs 1980-2021
Summary of Enrollments in First Professional Degree Programs by Gender 1980-2021
White Americans nearly comprised the majority (47.7%) of students enrolled in the PharmD as the first professional degree programs. Asian Americans accounted for 23.7%; Black or African Americans, 10.2%; Hispanic or Latino, 8.9%; Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders 0.2%; American Indians/Alaska Natives, 0.4%; and international/foreign students, 3.4%. Students where race/ethnicity was unknown accounted for 2.2% of enrollees and students that identified as two or more races accounted for 3.3% of all first professional degree enrollments. Students whose race/ethnicity and gender were unknown accounted for 0.1% of enrollments. Enrollments of underrepresented minorities (Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaska Native) as a percentage of total enrollments in the PharmD as a first professional degree programs increased to 19.5% in fall 2021 from 18.4% in fall 2020 [Table 14].
Summary of Enrollments in First Professional Degree Programs by Race/Ethnicity 1980-2021
Seven colleges and schools reported 582 students who already held a baccalaureate in pharmacy enrolled in full-time and non-traditional Doctor of Pharmacy degree programs (PharmD2). Underrepresented minorities accounted for 17.7% of these students (Black or African American, 16.2%; Hispanic or Latino, 1.0%; Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islander, 0.3%; American Indians/Alaska Native, 0.2%). White Americans comprised 42.3%; Asian Americans, 24.9%; students of two or more races, 2.4%; unknown, 7.2%; international/foreign students, 5.3%; and students of unknown race/ethnicity and gender, 0.2%.
Graduate Degree Programs
In fall 2021, the pharmaceutics discipline was the highest percentage of full-time enrollees at the M.S. level and the pharmaceutics discipline was the highest for Ph.D. enrollees (34.1% and 37.4%, respectively). At the master’s level, 31.3% of students were enrolled in Other disciplines programs; 12.3% in pharmacy practice programs; 9.8% in social and administrative sciences; 9.2% in pharmacology programs, and 3.3% in medicinal chemistry programs. At the doctoral level, 22.2% of the students were enrolled in medicinal chemistry programs; 17.5% in pharmacology programs; 10.0% in social and administrative science programs; 8.6% in Other disciplines; and 4.3% in pharmacy practice [Table 15].
Summary of Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Fall 2021 Full-Time Enrollments by Gender and Discipline
In fall 2021, more females than males were enrolled full-time in both M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs. This is the fourth year in a row that more women than men were enrolled in Ph.D. programs. In M.S. programs females accounted for 65.9% of enrollments. Women accounted for 54.8% of Ph.D. full-time enrollments, an increase from 53.1% in fall 2020.
Of the 1,670 students enrolled full-time in M.S. degree programs in fall 2021, over forty percent (40.1%) were International/Foreign students. This remained flat from 40.1% in fall 2020. The next largest group were White Americans, comprising 29.8% of enrollees and Asian Americans accounted for 12.5%. Underrepresented minorities accounted for 13.1% of M.S. enrollees (Black or African American, 5.9%; Hispanic or Latino, 6.8%; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 0.2%; American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.2%). Americans of two or more races made up 2.3% of enrollees and 1.7% of all full-time M.S. degree enrollees were reported as race/ethnicity unknown.
Of the 3,275 students enrolled full-time in Ph.D. degree programs in fall 2021, International/Foreign students were also the largest group, accounting for 47.2% of the enrollees. White Americans were the next largest group at 29.6% of full-time enrollments, followed by Asian Americans at 8.9%. Underrepresented minorities accounted for 9.3% of Ph.D. enrollees (Black or African American, 4.2%; Hispanic or Latino, 4.7%; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 0.2%; American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.2%). Americans of two or more races accounted for 3.0% of enrollments and 2.0% had an unknown race or ethnicity (Unknown at 1.8%, Unknown/Other Gender at 0.2%). For graduate students whose source of degree was reported, over 42% (42.4) of full-time and part-time students in Ph.D. programs held a professional pharmacy degree, Of the Ph.D. students holding a professional pharmacy degree, 35.0% of Ph.D. students held a professional pharmacy degree from a U.S. college or school of pharmacy and 65.0% held a pharmacy degree conferred by a non-U.S. institution [Table 16].
Fall 2021 Enrollments in PhD Programs by Type of Enrollment (Full-Time, Part-Time), Discipline, and Source of Previous Degree Earneda
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy wishes to express its appreciation to the deans of its member institutions and members of their faculty and staff who devoted their valuable time to complete the surveys that led to this report.
This report is an excerpt from the Profile of Pharmacy Students—Fall 2021, published by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (2022).
- © 2022 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
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