Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration at Samford University

The jump from $49,444 in the first year to $120,621 by year four reveals what's actually happening with this program: those first-year earnings are capturing graduates before they complete pharmacy school and licensure. While the Department of Education can't report actual first-year outcomes for Samford specifically (too few graduates in the data), peer pharmacy programs nationally show similar patterns—students earning modest wages in pharmacy tech or assistant roles before their credentials fully pay off. That $12,000 in debt is remarkably low, landing at the 95th percentile nationally where most pharmacy students carry twice that burden.

By year four, when graduates have typically completed their advanced degrees and entered professional practice, that six-figure salary puts this program in strong territory. The debt picture makes this even more compelling: $12,000 against $120,000+ in earnings is a ratio that works for families who can support their student through the extended training period. This matches Alabama's broader pattern for pharmacy programs, though Samford is the only school in-state where we can observe these outcomes.

The key variable is whether your student will complete the full pharmacy doctorate pathway, which this bachelor's typically feeds into. If they do, that low debt burden positions them well for the high-earning years ahead. If they exit after the bachelor's, those first-year earnings won't carry the same weight, though the minimal debt softens that scenario considerably.