Pharmacists in the United States must have a license to practice pharmacy, which they can obtain after graduating from an accredited college of pharmacy and passing examinations.
There are 89 accredited colleges of pharmacy in the USA. These schools grant the degree of Doctor of Pharmacy, or Pharm.D. The Pharm.D. requires at least six years of study after high school, and is usually completed in seven years. Prospective pharmacists spend two or three years in a typical college environment, taking core and pre-medical requirements. They then apply to pharmacy college and spend four additional years on that part of their degree.
About two-thirds of colleges of pharmacy require applicants to take the PCAT, the Pharmacy College Admissions Test.
Various states require different examinations for pharmacy licensure, but in all states pharmacists must pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam. In all states there is at least one other exam; in some states there are two others.
Pharmacist employment is expected to grow faster than the average for other jobs over the next decade. Enrollment in pharmacy programs is on the rise, but job openings are still expected to outnumber new pharmacists, as the aging population increases the nation's demand for prescription drugs.
Pharmacists in the U.S. make a median of $84,900 per year.