Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Starting at just over $40,000 after graduation, Albany College of Pharmacy's bachelor's program falls 19% below the national median for pharmaceutical sciences degrees—but here's the crucial context: This is actually a *median* performer within New York state, ranking in the 60th percentile among the five schools offering this program. The low first-year earnings likely reflect New York's reality that most pharmacy careers require advanced degrees, and this bachelor's serves as a stepping stone rather than a terminal credential.

The debt picture offers genuine relief: at $27,000, graduates carry notably less burden than the national median ($23,413), placing this program in the 5th percentile for debt nationally—meaning 95% of comparable programs saddle students with more debt. That 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable, particularly for students planning to continue their education. The relatively accessible admission rate (59%) and reasonable SAT requirements suggest this could work for solid students who need an affordable pathway into pharmaceutical sciences.

The significant caveat: we're looking at fewer than 30 graduates in this dataset, so individual outcomes could vary considerably. For families viewing this as a four-year degree leading directly to employment, the $40,000 starting point may disappoint. But for students planning the typical pharmacy school route, the modest debt load positions them well for financing advanced education without crushing undergraduate burden.