# What can you do with a Pharmacy degree?

> Source: https://coursetojob.co.uk/courses/pharmacy/ — updated 2026-09-25. Published by CourseToJob (independent; not affiliated with UCAS, HESA or GOV.UK).

**Quick answer:** A Pharmacy degree commonly leads to roles such as foundation trainee pharmacist, hospital pharmacy technician (related path) and community pharmacist (after registration). Five years after graduating, Pharmacy graduates had median earnings of £43,900 (middle half: £28,000–£52,000), and 91.4% were in sustained work or further study (DfE LEO, 2023–24 tax year). The largest employer sector for Pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacy graduates is health and social work (35.7% of those in work).

Pharmacy is a professional MPharm-style path toward GPhC registration after foundation training. It is not a generic science BA. Official figures appear when an extract is loaded.

## What jobs can you get with a Pharmacy degree?

- **Foundation trainee pharmacist**: Completes supervised foundation training toward registration, not independent prescribing on day one. Skills often asked for: dispensing accuracy, clinical screening, GPhC standards.
- **Hospital pharmacy technician (related path)**. Skills often asked for: aseptic support, stock, ward top-up.
- **Community pharmacist (after registration)**. Skills often asked for: medicines counselling, responsible pharmacist duties, locum rotas.
- **Medicines information assistant**. Skills often asked for: enquiry logs, references, escalation.

## Where do Pharmacy graduates work?

Pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacy graduates in UK employment five years after graduating, by industry (DfE LEO industry data, tax year 2023–24; shares calculated by CourseToJob from DfE's rounded counts).

| Industry | Share of graduates in work | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Health and social work | 35.7% | £43,900 |
| Wholesale and retail | 25.3% | £48,700 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 11.7% | £45,400 |
| Administrative and support services | 4.3% | £33,700 |
| Education | 3.3% | £32,900 |
| Manufacturing | 2.3% | £36,600 |
| Public administration and defence | 2.3% | £45,000 |
| Information and communication | 2% | £41,700 |

## How much do Pharmacy graduates earn?

UK-domiciled first-degree graduates in Pharmacy (CAH02-02-03). Source: DfE LEO CAH level 3 subject data, tax year 2023–24 (https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/d8bc2906-419e-40ef-ad8e-9b2ccd3997dc). Each row is a different graduating cohort.

| Years after graduating | Graduated | Median earnings | Middle half | In work or further study | All-graduate median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021/2022 | £27,100 | £16,800–£33,300 | 77.8% | £26,400 |
| 3 | 2019/2020 | £37,500 | £17,200–£49,200 | 90.4% | £30,000 |
| 5 | 2017/2018 | £43,900 | £28,000–£52,000 | 91.4% | £33,700 |
| 10 | 2012/2013 | £42,100 | £22,700–£54,200 | 87.9% | — |

## Which universities have the highest-earning Pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacy graduates?

Median earnings five years after graduating, universities with at least 50 graduates measured (DfE LEO provider-level data, 2023–24). Not a quality ranking.

| University | Median earnings | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| [University of East Anglia](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-east-anglia/) | £50,300 | 55 |
| [University of Nottingham](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-nottingham/) | £48,300 | 130 |
| [University of Bath](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-bath/) | £47,900 | 110 |
| [Aston University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/aston-university/) | £47,400 | 90 |
| [University of Reading](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-reading/) | £47,100 | 85 |
| [King's College London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/kings-college-london/) | £46,800 | 135 |
| [University of Birmingham](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-birmingham/) | £46,100 | 60 |
| [Keele University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/keele-university/) | £45,400 | 75 |
| [Newcastle University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/newcastle-university/) | £45,200 | 90 |
| [University of Brighton](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-brighton/) | £45,000 | 80 |

## Is Pharmacy the right degree for you?

You may enjoy it if:
- You want medicines, law, and patient-facing counselling in one course.
- You accept a foundation year after the degree before registration.
- You like precision: doses, interactions, and records.

It may not suit you if:
- You expected to register as a pharmacist on graduation day.
- You dislike law, calculations, or placements.
- You wanted a purely laboratory chemistry degree.

## Interview questions for Pharmacy graduate roles

Foundation trainee and medicines-information interviews usually test safety, checking, and how you talk to patients or ward staff. These prompts are editorial illustrations.

- A prescription looks unusual for this patient. What do you do before it leaves the pharmacy? (What it tests: You query. You do not ‘get it out the door’.)
- How would you counsel someone collecting a new inhaler in two minutes? (What it tests: Technique, safety net, and not drowning them in every side-effect.)
- Stock of a critical medicine is low. Who needs to know? (What it tests: Escalation and alternatives within your role.)
- A nurse phones for an unlicensed use. How do you handle the call? (What it tests: You check, document, and do not guess from memory.)
- Why might two strengths of the same drug be easy to mix up? (What it tests: Look-alike sound-alike risk, which checking exists to catch.)

## Frequently asked questions

### What jobs can you do with a Pharmacy degree?

Common starting roles include foundation trainee pharmacist, hospital pharmacy technician (related path), community pharmacist (after registration) and medicines information assistant. Five years after graduating, the most common sectors for Pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacy graduates in work were health and social work (35.7%), wholesale and retail (25.3%) and professional, scientific and technical services (11.7%). These are examples, not guaranteed jobs: your experience, location and further training matter.

### How much do Pharmacy graduates earn in the UK?

DfE Longitudinal Education Outcomes data for the 2023–24 tax year shows median earnings for UK-domiciled Pharmacy graduates of £27,100 one year after graduating, £37,500 three years after graduating, £43,900 five years after graduating and £42,100 ten years after graduating. Each figure describes a different graduating cohort, not one person's pay rise, and it is gross pay for those in sustained employment, not a starting salary offer.

### Is a Pharmacy degree worth it?

It depends on what you want to do. On the official data, 91.4% of Pharmacy graduates were in sustained employment or further study five years after graduating, with median earnings of £43,900. For comparison, the median across all first-degree graduates of GB higher education institutions was £33,700 at the same point. That places Pharmacy 16 of 146 subject groups by five-year median earnings. Earnings are only one factor: enjoyment of the subject, accreditation and the route into your target job matter too.

### Which universities have the highest-earning Pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacy graduates?

Among universities in our index with at least 50 graduates measured, the highest five-year median earnings for Pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacy were at University of East Anglia (£50,300), University of Nottingham (£48,300) and University of Bath (£47,900). These figures reflect entry grades, subject mix and where graduates work, so they are not a measure of teaching quality.

### Can international students study Pharmacy in the UK?

Yes, most UK universities accept international applicants, but entry requirements, recognised qualifications, English-language evidence and overseas tuition fees depend on the university and programme. Check the university course page and international admissions team, then check visa requirements on GOV.UK.


Apply for undergraduate courses on UCAS: https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/courses?query=Pharmacy