If you are looking for elite pharmacy training, look no further than East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy.  

Once again, the college ranks among the top accredited pharmacy schools in the nation, based on the latest results from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) for both the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE).  

ETSU Gatton College of Pharmacy’s Class of 2025 achieved an incredible 97.7% first attempt pass rate on their NAPLEX exam, which graduating pharmacists must pass to receive their licensure. 

It places the college in the top five among accredited pharmacy schools nationwide.  

Gatton’s Class of 2025 posted the highest pass rate in Tennessee and No. 2 in the Southeast. Nationally, pharmacy graduates in 2025 averaged an 85.7% pass rate. 

They also ranked No. 4 in the country among accredited pharmacy schools on the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE), which is required for licensure in most states, including Tennessee, and is designed to assess knowledge of pharmacy laws and regulations. That pass rate was also tops in Tennessee.   

“I am so proud of our Class of 2025 for these stellar results, and I cannot wait to see how far they go in the profession of pharmacy,” said Dr. Debbie Byrd, dean of the college. “These scores prove that our students are not only receiving a top-tier education, but they’re graduating ready to make an exceptional impact for patients.”  

ETSU’s Class of 2025 NAPLEX scores surpass those of the Class of 2023, which ranked No. 2 in the country for accredited pharmacy schools, as well as No. 1 in Tennessee and our region and was the top-performing school in the Southeast.   

These scores reflect recent changes ETSU Gatton College of Pharmacy has made to its curriculum and support services for students, including a revised curriculum, a revamped NAPLEX exam preparation process, faculty mentorship, new student success coordinators and a director of student success.   

Students interested in pursuing pharmacy at ETSU have several upcoming opportunities to take their next steps:  

  • Pharmacy Career Exploration Day, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, is designed to help students learn more about pharmacy careers, as well as the flexible pathways to pursue pharmacy at ETSU. Learn more and register by February 19 at etsu.edu/pharmacy. 
  • The annual admission deadline for Fall 2026 entry is June 1, 2026, but applicants are encouraged to apply sooner. High-achieving applicants may also be eligible to earn the Academic Merit Scholarship worth up to $10,000. Learn more about our flexible admission pathways at etsu.edu/pharmacy or contact pharmacy@etsu.edu or (423) 439-6300.   
  •  The Early Admission Pathway (EAP) application deadline is March 31. The EAP allows high school seniors and first-year students at ETSU to apply directly to pharmacy school. Visit etsu.edu/RxEarlyAdmit to learn more and apply. 
  • GattonRx Summer Camp is an overnight camp on June 1-5, 2026, for high school students interested in learning more about the pharmacy profession. Register at etsu.edu/pharmacycamp.

ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy is one of the university's five health sciences schools that comprise ETSU Health, its Academic Health Sciences Center, providing students with a robust combination of academic and clinical sciences programs that elevate their interprofessional experience.     

Questions? Email pharmacy@etsu.edu or call (423) 439-6300. Learn more and apply at etsu.edu/pharmacy.   

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