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Health Professions · Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences Rank #9 of 13

Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciencesat Ohio State University-Main Campus

Graduates earn $37,369/yr in their first year — about 30.0% below the national Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $794K; scenarios range from $689K to $816K depending on AI disruption.

Columbus, OH Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
62 SOLID
63
Optimistic
68
Pessimistic
Earnings
$37,369
1-year post-graduation
ROI
14.0x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$794K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
52% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Ohio State

This program at Ohio State offers a strong foundation in a specialized field, but the earnings data reflects regional labor market dynamics and the evolving nature of the industry. While crucial, traditional pharmacist roles, a common career path, face increasing automation, which contributes to the higher AI risk and potentially moderates salary growth compared to programs in more competitive, high-cost-of-living areas or those focused solely on cutting-edge biopharma R&D.

However, OSU’s strength as a major research institution in a large city like Columbus means robust clinical connections and opportunities with local healthcare systems and emerging biotech firms. The "Administration" component of your degree is key, steering you towards management roles in natural sciences, marketing, or sales within the pharmaceutical sector, where human oversight and strategic thinking remain highly valued. To maximize your long-term prospects, actively seek internships in specialized areas like clinical trials management or pharmaceutical business development, which can differentiate your profile significantly.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$689K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score68/100
Earnings Multiple13.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$794K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple15.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$816K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score63/100
Earnings Multiple15.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Ohio State's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
2
Marketing managers
+6.6% 10-yr growth · 34,300 openings/yr
$161,030/yr
High
3
Sales managers
+4.7% 10-yr growth · 49,000 openings/yr
$138,060/yr
Moderate
4
Pharmacists
+4.6% 10-yr growth · 14,200 openings/yr
$137,480/yr
Moderate
5
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
6
Industrial production managers
+1.9% 10-yr growth · 17,100 openings/yr
$121,440/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences

How Ohio State stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Southwestern Oklahoma State University
OK · Public
78
DW Score
$115K
1-yr earn
33.7x
ROI
Top score
University of Hawaii at Hilo
HI · Public
85
DW Score
$64K
1-yr earn
44.1x
ROI
North Carolina Central University
NC · Public
84
DW Score
$62K
1-yr earn
34.4x
ROI
Saint Joseph's University
PA · Private nonprofit
69
DW Score
$58K
1-yr earn
3.9x
ROI
Purdue University-Main Campus
IN · Public
67
DW Score
$57K
1-yr earn
13.3x
ROI
Also at Ohio State

Other top programs at Ohio State

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Ohio State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ohio State

What does a 62/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ohio State University-Main Campus?

At 62/100, the score looks reasonable — but Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences is a high-scoring field overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.

Should I worry about AI if I study Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ohio State University-Main Campus?

The 46% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.

Is Ohio State University-Main Campus a good choice for Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences despite lower starting pay?

Starting salary is one data point. If Ohio State University-Main Campus's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.