Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration at North Carolina Central University

North Carolina Central University's pharmacy program produces graduates earning $62,022 right after graduation—well above the national median of $49,444 and ranking in the 90th percentile nationally. However, with only three schools offering this program in North Carolina, that 60th percentile state ranking is less meaningful than it appears. The real comparison point is Campbell University at $55,000, which NCCU clearly beats by about $7,000.

The debt picture looks unusually favorable: at $30,000, graduates carry less than half their first-year earnings and significantly less than typical pharmacy program debt. That's the 5th percentile nationally for debt—meaning 95% of comparable programs saddle students with more. For a school serving predominantly middle- and lower-income students (57% receive Pell grants), keeping debt this manageable while delivering strong earnings is noteworthy.

The concerning trend is the earnings decline to $60,000 by year four, suggesting graduates may be hitting a ceiling or facing career pivots earlier than expected. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means a few outliers could be skewing these numbers in either direction. Still, even with that caveat, the combination of above-average starting pay and below-average debt makes this program worth serious consideration—just recognize you're looking at a limited data set that may not fully represent the typical graduate experience.