Pharmacy Schools in Louisiana - 2024

Louisiana will witness a steady demand in pharmacist positions to cater to the growing healthcare needs of its aging population. Although the average pharmacist salary is lower than the national average, employment growth rate is quite promising. As of 2021, there were approximately 4,910 pharmacists working in the state, drawing an annual salary of $122,000. To join this dynamic workforce, you must complete a Doctor of Pharmacy Program from any of the ACPE accredited pharmacy schools in the state. To help you find the best educational path, we have ranked pharmacy schools in Louisiana based on their NAPLEX performance.

Our Ranking Methodology

To become a licensed pharmacist passing the NAPLEX is a requirement. A school that has its graduates consistently perform well on the licensure exam speaks volumes of the quality of education it offers. The exam tests the knowledge and skills required to practice as a pharmacist. Schools that have performed well in the last four years have made it to our ranking list. We have evaluated each school of their NAPLEX first time pass rates, giving 40% weightage given to 2021, 30% to 2020, 20% to 2019 and 10% to 2018..

NAPLEX Pass Rate YearWeightage
201810%
201920%
202030%
202140%


2024 Ranking of ACPE Accredited Pharmacy Schools in Louisiana

#1. University of Louisiana at Monroe

Ranking Score: 89.46%
Location: Monroe
Accreditation: ACPE

About the College: Part of the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM), the College of Pharmacy is Louisiana's only publicly supported institution for pharmacy education and research. Spread over 132,000 square feet, the college is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, on- and off-campus training, interactive classrooms, and a vivarium.

Program Details: ULM College of Pharmacy offers a 4-year Pharm.D. Program in LA, which prepares students with integrated modular method of content delivery where specific topics are explained elaborately. The first three years of coursework is focused on pharmaceutical sciences, pharmaceutics, and other core pharmacy courses, along with integrated lab sequence courses in each semester throughout these three years. The fourth and final year will give you an opportunity to gain advanced level of pharmacy practice experience in various settings through integrated experiential program.

University of Louisiana NAPLEX Performance
Year # of Students Attempted Pass Rate
20189492.55%
20199391.00%
20208588.00%
20218189.00%



#2. Xavier University of Louisiana

Ranking Score: 73.40%
Location: New Orleans
Accreditation: ACPE

About the College: In order to excel in the field of pharmacy practice, Xavier College of Pharmacy provides students with excellent facilities, resources, and educators. The college is also among the nation's top colleges for educating the underserved minorities, specifically African American; thereby making an effort to wipe out health disparities and contributing towards building a better society.

Program Details: Upon successful completion of the 2-year pre-pharmacy course, you will be eligible to enroll in the 4-year Pharm.D Program offered at Xavier College of Pharmacy. Curriculum comprises of, but is not limited to, behavioral sciences, drug management, drug therapy, inter-professional skills to effectively communicate with patients, and introductory and advanced level of pharmacy practice experiences in various settings. Graduates can take pharmacy licensure exam in their preferred state upon meeting the state requirements.

Xavier University of Louisiana NAPLEX Performance
Year # of Students Attempted Pass Rate
201815275.00%
201912679.00%
202013671.00%
202112572.00%



Licensure - Passing the NAPLEX and MPJE in Louisiana

To become a licensed pharmacist in Louisiana you must apply to the Louisianan Board of Pharmacy. Once you get your eligibility from the board to take the licensure exam, you must apply to the NABP for the NAPLEX and MPJE. After you get your license you must renew it before December 31 of every year.



Louisiana Pharm.D. Graduates NAPLEX Performance (2018-2021)

Pharmacy graduates of the state had a rather inconsistent performance on the NAPLEX over the past four years. While in 2020, the performance was excellent with a 79.50%, except 2018, remain 2020 the performance was above 80%. Just recently in 2021 it was below average at 80.50%. The number of students taking the exam however hasn’t seen much of a shift, with around 225 each year.

School Location 2018 2019 2020 2021
# Taken Pass % # Taken Pass % # Taken Pass % # Taken Pass %
University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe9492.55%9391.00%8588.00%8189.00%
Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans15275.00%12679.00%13671.00%12572.00%
Overall Louisiana NAPLEX Performance24683.78%21985.00%22179.50%20680.50%



Pharmacist Salary in Louisiana

On an average a pharmacist in Louisiana earns an average annual salary of $122,000 which is lower than the national pharmacist pay of $125,690. You can expect to start your career with a starting salary of $76,050 and go on to expect a maximum of $153,480, annually with some years of work experience. Pharmacists working part-time earn an hourly wage of $58.65.

TypeSalary
Hourly$58.65
Monthly$10,170
Annual$122,000
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics



Pharmacist Job Outlook in Louisiana

Pharmacists in the state have a consistent demand with an employment growth rate of 0.61%, higher than the national average. New Orleans and Baton Rouge employ the highest number of pharmacists in the state. Each year there will be 190 job openings that include new as well as replacements.

2020 Employment2030 EmploymentGrowthProjected Annual Job Openings (New + Replacement)
NumberPercent
4,8804,910300.61%190
Source: Career One Stop



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