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The ����Ӱ�� College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions has continued its long record of excellence, reporting a 94.1% first-time pass rate on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) for the 2025 Doctor of Pharmacy graduates.

Of the 54 SDSU Pharm.D. students who took the exam, 51 passed on their first try, with the remaining three passing on their second attempt. This rate surpasses the national average of 86.8%, according to data released by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

The College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions has a 10-year average first-time NAPLEX pass rate of 96.7%, the highest average in the nation. The 10-year average is based on first-time pass rates among 2016-2025 Pharm.D. graduates.

SDSU’s Pharm.D. graduates have consistently high first-time pass rates.

“A first-time pass rate of 94.1% keeps us at No. 1 in District 5,” said Dan Hansen, dean of the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions. District 5 is comprised of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. Graduates in 2024 had a 100% first-time pass rate, while first-time pass rates were 93.8% in 2023, 93.2% in 2022 and 97.3% in 2021.

“These results are a testament to the dedication of our students, the strength of our curriculum, and the extraordinary work of our faculty and staff,” Hansen said.

Nationally, only 9,869 graduates took the NAPLEX in 2025, a decrease from 11,136 in 2024 and 12,305 in 2023. The national first-time pass rate saw a significant improvement this year, rising from 75.9% in 2024 to 86.8% in 2025.

Passing the NAPLEX is a critical step that must be taken for Pharm.D. students to obtain their pharmacy license. The exam is a primary tool that allows candidates to demonstrate that they have the baseline skills, judgement and knowledge needed to work as a pharmacist.

Content covered by NAPLEX includes foundational knowledge for pharmacy practice; prescribing, transcribing and documenting, dispensing, administering, and  monitoring medication use; professional practice; person-centered assessment and treatment planning; and pharmacy management and leadership.