2026 Best Value Pharmaceutical Sciences Schools in California
[Pharmaceutical Sciences](/majors/health-care-professions/pharmacy-pharmaceutical-sciences/pharmaceutical-sciences/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for pharmaceutical sciences students.
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2026 Best Value Pharmaceutical Sciences Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in pharmaceutical sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Pharmaceutical Sciences Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of California Irvine the best value for a degree in pharmaceutical sciences in California. University Of California Irvine is a very large public school located in the city of Irvine. In-state tuition and fees average $14,752, compared with $46,640 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,026 to complete the pharmaceutical sciences program here. Early-career pharmaceutical sciences graduates make about $20,538. That is a strong return on a $15,026 median debt. University Of California Irvine admits about 29% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of California Davis one of the best values for pharmaceutical sciences. University Of California Davis is a very large public school located in the suburb of Davis. In-state tuition and fees average $15,804, compared with $47,692 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for pharmaceutical sciences graduates is $13,470. Soon after graduation, pharmaceutical sciences degree recipients from University Of California Davis generally make around $40,002. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Davis admits about 42% of applicants.
University Of Southern California came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value pharmaceutical sciences schools. University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. In-state tuition and fees average $71,647. Typical student debt for pharmaceutical sciences graduates is $15,625. Pharmaceutical Sciences graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $114,101 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,625 median debt. University Of Southern California admits about 10% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Chapman University earned it the #4 place for pharmaceutical sciences. Set in the city of Orange, Chapman University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,984. Typical student debt for pharmaceutical sciences graduates is $21,657. Pharmaceutical Sciences graduates of Chapman University earn a median of $78,465 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 65%.
More Pharmaceutical Sciences Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
