- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
ETSU Pharmacy Grads Rank Among Top 5 Nationally for Board Exam Passage
College's Class of 2025 achieves 97.7% first-attempt pass rate on NAPLEX, highest in Tennessee
Published on Feb. 8, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Graduates from the East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy's Class of 2025 achieved a 97.7% first-attempt pass rate on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), placing the college among the top five pharmacy programs in the nation and marking the highest pass rate in Tennessee. The college also ranked 4th nationally on the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE).
Why it matters
The strong board exam performance by ETSU pharmacy graduates highlights the college's ability to provide a top-tier education and prepare students to make an exceptional impact as pharmacists, especially in the Appalachian Highlands region where the college was established to address a shortage of pharmacists.
The details
The national average NAPLEX pass rate for 2025 pharmacy graduates was 85.7%, making ETSU's 97.7% first-attempt pass rate all the more impressive. The college attributes the high scores to curriculum revisions, improved NAPLEX preparation, increased faculty mentorship, and the addition of student success coordinators.
- The Class of 2025 achieved these results in 2026.
The players
ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy
A pharmacy school established in 2005 to address a shortage of pharmacists in the Appalachian Highlands region.
Dr. Debbie Byrd
Dean of the ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy.
What they’re saying
“I am so proud of our Class of 2025 for these stellar results. 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.”
— Dr. Debbie Byrd, Dean (Johnson City Press)
The takeaway
The exceptional board exam performance by ETSU pharmacy graduates demonstrates the college's commitment to providing a high-quality education and producing pharmacists prepared to serve the healthcare needs of the Appalachian Highlands region.
