The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has released results from the 2026 PGY1 residency match, covering both phase 1 and phase 2, and the numbers reveal a range of outcomes across the country’s pharmacy schools.
Of the 4,486 applicants who were active with a rank-order list, 3,787 matched — a national rate of 84.4%. But school-by-school performance varied dramatically, from programs that placed every graduate to others that left the majority unmatched.
Eleven programs hit 100%
Among schools with at least 10 active applicants, 11 programs matched every student who ranked programs:
- University of Iowa (Iowa City): 49/49
- Purdue University (West Lafayette, Ind.): 71/71
- University of Missouri-Kansas City: 45/45
- University of Montana (Missoula): 19/19
- Western New England University (Springfield, Mass.): 11/11
- Binghamton University (Vestal, N.Y.): 20/20
- South Dakota State University (Brookings): 29/29
- South College School of Pharmacy (Knoxville, Tenn.): 10/10
- Belmont University School of Pharmacy (Nashville, Tenn.): 23/23
- Sullivan University College of Pharmacy (Louisville, Ky.): 10/10
- University of Wyoming (Laramie): 13/13
The strongest large programs
Among schools with 40 or more active applicants, several posted near-perfect placement:
- University of Connecticut (Storrs): 97.6% (41/42)
- University of Toledo (Ohio): 97.5% (39/40)
- University of South Carolina (Columbia): 97.5% (39/40)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison: 97.3% (73/75)
- UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy (Chapel Hill, N.C.): 97.2% (69/71)
- Ohio State University (Columbus): 96.3% (52/54)
- Concordia University School of Pharmacy (Mequon, Wis.): 96.2% (25/26)
- University of Mississippi (University, Miss.): 96.9% (31/32)
- University of Cincinnati: 96.8% (30/31)
Most applicants, most at stake
The largest programs by active applicant count were the University of Florida in Gainesville (118), University of Southern California in Los Angeles (97), University of California-San Francisco (96), University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy in Stockton, Calif. (94) and University of Illinois Chicago (93).
Florida matched 90.7% of its active applicants. University of Illinois matched 88.2%. USC matched 68%. UCSF matched 81.3%. University of the Pacific-Thomas Long matched 64.9%, leaving 33 students unplaced — the highest raw unmatched count of any school.
Texas programs
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock led in-state programs with a 93.8% match rate (30/32). The University of Texas at Austin matched 44 of 49 active applicants, an 89.8% rate.
Other Texas results:
- University of Texas at El Paso: 85.7% (12/14)
- University of the Incarnate Word (San Antonio): 80% (12/15)
- University of North Texas System (Fort Worth): 71.4% (20/28)
- University of Houston: 77.4% (41/53)
- Texas A&M University (College Station): 69.7% (23/33)
- Texas Southern University (Houston): 60% (6/10)
Lowest match rates among large programs
Several programs with large applicant pools posted match rates below 70%:
- West Coast University School of Pharmacy (Los Angeles): 27.3% (3/11)
- University of Southern California (Los Angeles): 68% (66/97)
- St. John’s University (New York City): 66.7% (32/48)
- Nova Southeastern University (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.): 60.3% (41/68)
- University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy (Stockton, Calif.): 64.9% (61/94)
Methodology note: Match rates are calculated using active applicants — those who submitted a rank-order list — as the denominator, per ASHP’s combined phase 1 and phase 2 data. Schools with fewer than 10 active applicants were excluded from percentage rankings due to small sample size.
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