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Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences

A program that focuses on the application of pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy to the study of pharmaceuticals production and distribution, and prepares individuals to manage pharmaceutical industry operations. Includes instruction in pharmacoeconomics, industrial management, operations management, preformulation evaluation, product formulation/reformulation, drug product development, stability testing, dosage design, pilot scale-up, drug marketing, quality control, drug information, and legal and regulatory affairs. Examples: [Industrial and Physical Pharmacy and Cosmetic Sciences (MS)], [Industrial and Physical Pharmacy and Cosmetic Sciences (PhD)]

Types of Degrees Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences Majors Are Earning

Those studying Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	19
Master’s Degree	981

What Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences Majors Need to Know

Studies in Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS	Medical software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	✓
Material safety data sheet MSDS software	Compliance software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences graduates include:

• Plant Manager
• Dietitian Teacher
• Nutrition Teacher
• Chiropractic Teacher
• Pathology Laboratory Aides Teacher
• Obstetrics Teacher
• Clinical Laboratory Aides Teacher
• Clinical Laboratory Service Teacher
• University Faculty Member
• Coding Educator
• Laboratory Technology Teacher
• Teacher
• Osteopathic Medicine Teacher
• Immunology Teacher
• Dermatology Teacher

What Can You Do With a Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022
Managers, All Other	6.2%	$95,684	$77,247–$114,122
Compliance Managers	13.0%	$117,178	$91,300–$143,056
Loss Prevention Managers	2.2%	$165,723	$139,422–$192,024
Regulatory Affairs Managers	9.9%	$77,828	$64,276–$91,380
Wind Energy Operations Managers	5.2%	$122,567	$104,050–$141,084
Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers	-1.9%	$99,321	$80,201–$118,441
Wind Energy Development Managers	10.1%	$169,952	$133,693–$206,210

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	39.0%
Master’s degree	13.2%
Some college courses	9.1%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	8.0%
Doctoral degree	7.8%
Postsecondary certificate	7.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	6.9%
Post-doctoral training	5.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.1%
Less than a high school diploma	0.3%
Post-master’s certificate	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 67.2% of Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	672	67.2%
Men	328	32.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	81	8.1%
Asian	29	2.9%
Hispanic or Latino	16	1.6%
Black or African American	23	2.3%
Two or More Races	9	0.9%
Race Unknown	16	1.6%
International Students	826	82.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$100,486
4 years	$129,383
5 years	$140,029

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $140,029 — roughly 39% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Pharmacy & Cosmetic Sciences graduates earn a median of $129,383 four years after completion — roughly 240% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration	18,055
Pharmacy	12,167
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, Other	1,079
Pharmaceutics and Drug Design	603
Clinical and Industrial Drug Development	244
Advanced General Dentistry	238
Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry	185
Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy	181
Pharmacoeconomics/Pharmaceutical Economics	150
Pharmacy Administration and Pharmacy Policy and Regulatory Affairs	150
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	150
Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management	84

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.