6 Best Pharmacy Schools in Illinois in 2020 | Requirements, Cost

6 Best Pharmacy Schools in Illinois in 2021 | Requirements, Cost

In this paragraph, we will be discussing the 6 Best Pharmacy Schools in Illinois in 2021 | Requirements, Cost. This is for interested candidates to get the full detailed information about Illinois pharmacy schools.

What is the pharmacy?

Pharmacy is the clinical health science that links medical science with chemistry and it is charged with the discovery, production, disposal, safe and effective use, and control of medications and drugs.

Why do people study pharmacy?

Related post:7 Best Medical Schools in Pennsylvania/How to apply.

1. Interact with humans: pharmacists can be found in many healthcare settings: inpatient, ambulatory, and community center settings.

Pharmacists should be open to seeing customers at all times of the day and throughout the year. Their advice to patients matters and they help people get better.

2. Be part of major innovations in the pharmaceutical industry: scientists now know that genetic variation in genes can affect a body’s response to a drug. Similarly, Specialists hope to someday sequence the entire human gene in each individual.

Pharmacists and healthcare providers would then be able to use that information to choose the treatments suited best to an individual’s needs.

3. Job stability: human health is a great working field. Pharmacists are always in demand.

There are always new drugs and treatments on the market and prescriptions to be handed out. This means that after graduation, you will find a job easily.

Why study pharmacy in Illinois?

The difference between pharmacy schools in Illinois and other schools is their ability in teaching the students who enhance the professional competency of pharmacy practice.

According to IPHA, Pharmacists in Illinois ensure the effectiveness in assuring rational drug use in society and leading in the resolution of public policy issues affecting pharmacists.

More so, Pharmacy schools in Illinois provide students with a wide range of experiences so that each student develops and thrives in the healthcare world to become the best person he or she can be in the pharmacy industry.

How long does it take to study pharmacy in Illinois?

The Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree program demands at least two years of undergraduate college study followed by three-four academic years of professional pharmacy study depending on the institution.

Before becoming a pharmacist in Illinois and beyond, you must obtain the necessary degree in Pharmacy.

That is to say, you must earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from an authorized pharmacy institution in Illinois and pass a state pharmacy licensure exam. U.S. pharmacy institutions are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). 

What is the requirement to study pharmacy in Illinois?

Students who wish to study Pharmacy in Illinois must have the requirements to be admitted.

While some schools demand that students must complete a full undergraduate program other schools only want to see that all pre-requisite classes have been completed.

Schools require at least a 3.0 overall GPA but may have higher expectations for chemistry and biology classes.

Also, the Pharmacy College Admission Test is required along with letters of recommendation and an interview session.

Here are the general entry requirements to study Pharmacy in Illinois.

  • Official copies of all college and university transcripts
  • Letters of recommendation
  • PCAT scores
  •  complete an on-campus professional program interview and writing assessment.
  • English proficiency test scores for all non-native English speakers.
  • All applicants will complete a PharmCAS online application.

How much do pharmacists in Illinois earn?

The average Pharmacist salary in Illinois is $140,279 as of July 27, 2020, but the range typically falls between $132,177 and $149,407.

Nevertheless, salary varies widely depending on the city, and many other important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and the number of years you have spent in your profession.

As a pharmacist, your responsibility is to compound and dispense drugs per physician’s instructions in a healthcare facility setting.

They also consult with medical staff about potential drug interactions, patient medical history, and the use of particular medications.

A pharmacist also has to respond to questions from patients about medications and dosage instructions. 

Best pharmacy schools in Illinois

Here is the list of the six best pharmacy schools in Illinois.

Related post: Scholarships for pharmaceutical students in the USA

1. University of Illinois

The University of Illinois at Chicago is a public research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, adjacent to the Chicago Loop.

UIC College of Pharmacy offers the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree. It holds accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

Program overview

The PharmD curriculum at UIC highlights a patient-centered study and provides a shell that enables students to grow into reflective healthcare practitioners. 

The curriculum also provides basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes, which target to promote the fulfillment of the adopted professional capacity for a generalist practitioner who delivers pharmaceutical care.

The university has two campuses in Chicago and Rockford. Also, UIC features seven college-run pharmacies, more than any other college of pharmacy in the Nation.

Cost: $27,566

official website:

2. Midwestern University – Downers Grove

Midwestern University is a private graduate medical and professional school with the main campus in Downers Grove, Illinois, and an additional campus in Glendale, Arizona.

At the Midwestern University Colleges of Pharmacy, you will be taught all you need to know about drug preparation and information.

The expert faculty will provide you with the knowledge to prepare thousands of drugs and drug types, along with the skills to help patients understand when, how, and why to take those medications.

Program overview

The Downers Grove campus of this university offers a PharmD. Degree program.

Admission requirements for this program include submission of PCAT scores and completion of undergraduate prerequisite coursework (e.g., physics, human anatomy, calculus, chemistry, statistics, biology, and communications). Prospective students enroll in the program as full-time students.

During your first years in the program, you will engage in interactive lectures, labs, workshops, clinical simulations, and introductory pharmacy practice experiences.

It has more than 20 pharmacy-related student organizations, and you will have various opportunities to develop your leadership skills, serve the community, and work with professional pharmacy organizations.

The program holds accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

Cost: $ 46,863

official website

3. Roosevelt University

Roosevelt University is a private university with campuses in Chicago, Peoria, Waukegan, and Schaumburg, Illinois.

Founded in 1945, the university is named in honor of both the late President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt

Roosevelt University allows a patient-centered and innovative learning experience to about 68 students in each class, with state-of-the-art medical equipment and highly qualified faculty and staff. Located at Schaumburg in Illinois.

Program overview

Roosevelt University College of Pharmacy equips students to be competent, compassionate pharmacists through our unique 3-year curriculum.

The first two years feature small group learning, hands-on courses, and early rotations that intent to integrate classroom learning with practical experience. 

Students earn their Immunization Certificate in the first term, enabling them to administer flu vaccines to patients as early as the second term.

In addition to a meticulous, integrated foundational and clinical curriculum, students receive group coaching and individual support in study skills, managing time, and working in groups.

Roosevelt University College of Pharmacy program holds accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

Cost: $30,876

official website: The official website was active as of the time of this post.

4. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science is a private graduate school in North Chicago, Illinois.

Studying for your PharmD at Rosalind Franklin University will engage you in interprofessional education.

You will learn alongside your counterparts from other programs in a patient-centered pedagogical approach that encourages an understanding and appreciation of the roles everyone on a healthcare team plays in the healthcare of communities.

Program overview

The doctor of pharmacy program offered at the college of pharmacy has a comprehensive educational model that lets you complete the program in just three years.

Including 9-credit hour elective courses, the entire coursework is of 188.5 credits. Admissions to this program require tendering of PharmCAS application, completion of a 57-semester hour pre-pharmacy course, and other formalities.

Cost: $36,764

official website

5. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a public university in Edwardsville, Illinois, United States.

SIUE was established in 1957 as an extension of Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

The accredited Pharmacy College offers a four-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) 2+4 program.

This means that students must first complete the pre-pharmacy curriculum and then if admitted, complete the four-year PharmD program.

The faculty equips students to be pharmacy professionals who will improve the health and well-being of the region and beyond.

Program overview

In this program, the faculty and students engage in a variety of research projects to improve drug design and development, drug delivery, and disease therapy.

They also conduct clinical research designed to directly improve patient care.

Edwardsville offers a degree in the following programs;

· Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)

· PharmD and Master of Business Administration (MBA) concurrent degrees

· PharmD and Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics (MSHI) concurrent degrees

Before being accepted to either program, students must meet pre-pharmacy prerequisites and have completed undergraduate studies that included courses in anatomy and physiology, physics, chemistry, and biology. Meanwhile, students spend three years at the campus in Edwardsville and one year at a clinical location.

Cost: $12, 219

official website: 

6. Chicago State University

Chicago State University is a public university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1867 as the Cook County Normal School, it was an innovative teacher’s college.

Eventually, the Chicago Public Schools assumed control of the school and it became Chicago Teachers College.

With a 9:1 student to teacher ratio, the University of Illinois at Chicago empowers students with the foundation of knowledge vital to the professional pharmacy curriculum.

While providing the highest quality instruction in pharmaceutical sciences, the faculty offers and improves skills of critical thinking, problem-solving, and life-long learning in future pharmacists.

Program overview

The PharmD. The program at this school in Chicago can be achieved in four years.

More importantly, individuals applying to the program must complete two years of undergraduate study. In addition, courses in anatomy, speech, physics, biology, statistics, chemistry, and psychology.

Students must also submit their scores from the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) as part of the admissions process.

Students are required to participate in at least 41 units of professional practice hours at various pharmaceutical facilities; this is mostly accomplished during the fourth year of the program.

However, the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences encompasses several specialty areas: pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, natural products/pharmacognosy.

Subsequently, Chicago State University’s Doctor of Pharmacy program holds accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

Cost: $18, 734

official website

Studying Pharmacy in Illinois opens students to a wide range of academic experiences and opportunities.

I hope you find this knowledge useful and helpful. Simply visit our site for more updates on career opportunities, best schools, tuition fees, and scholarships. You can equally follow us on our Facebook page, Twitter, or Instagram.

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