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These Are The 10 Best Cities For Pharmacists

By Chris Kolmar
Dec. 11, 2016
Last Modified and Fact Checked on:

Find a Job You Really Want In

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As you navigate your career as a pharmacist, it’s crucial to understand which cities in the United States offer the best opportunities for growth and compensation. With the evolving landscape of healthcare and pharmacy practice, regional differences can significantly influence your earning potential and job availability.

At Zippia, we’ve analyzed the latest labor market data to identify cities that present excellent opportunities for pharmacists. Our research highlights regions where pharmacists enjoy competitive salaries, a favorable cost of living, and robust job markets.

Utilizing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we’ve compiled a list of the best cities for pharmacists in 2026, focusing on those that stand out for their job availability and salary potential:

  1. Beckley, WV
  2. Decatur, AL
  3. Dothan, AL
  4. Florence, SC
  5. Brunswick, GA
  6. Springfield, MO
  7. Hilton Head Island, SC
  8. Jonesboro, AR
  9. Parkersburg, WV
  10. Cape Girardeau, MO

In summary, Beckley, WV, tops our list as the best city for pharmacists, offering a combination of high salaries and a favorable job market.

If you’re a pharmacist considering relocation, you might want to steer clear of Albany, OR, which ranks among the less favorable cities for this profession.

Continue reading to discover how we compiled our research and to delve deeper into the top ten cities for pharmacists.

How We Determined the Best Cities for Pharmacists




At Zippia, we engage with a diverse range of job seekers and have identified two key factors that influence their decisions:

  • Job availability
  • Salary levels

To pinpoint the best cities for pharmacists, we analyzed job availability and salary data, focusing on the following criteria sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

  • Location quotient: Indicates how common a pharmacist job is in a particular city.
  • Average annual salary.
  • Average annual salary for entry-level positions.

To ensure a fair comparison across cities, we adjusted salary figures based on the respective state’s cost of living.

This analysis covered 411 metropolitan areas nationwide. We labeled the primary area of each metro as the ‘city’ for this study— for instance, the “Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division” was simplified to Boston.

Each city was ranked based on the criteria, with the lowest overall Job Score earning the title of the best city for pharmacists in America.

Now, let’s explore what makes each city an appealing destination for pharmacists.

1. Beckley, WV

Total Jobs: 160
Average Annual Salary: $140,060
Average Entry Level Salary: $110,750
Location Quotient: 1.68

2. Decatur, AL

Total Jobs: 170
Average Annual Salary: $129,720
Average Entry Level Salary: $105,470
Location Quotient: 1.49

3. Dothan, AL

Total Jobs: 270
Average Annual Salary: $120,110
Average Entry Level Salary: $103,380
Location Quotient: 2.31

4. Florence, SC

Total Jobs: 250
Average Annual Salary: $127,620
Average Entry Level Salary: $104,150
Location Quotient: 1.44

5. Brunswick, GA

Total Jobs: 140
Average Annual Salary: $122,290
Average Entry Level Salary: $105,580
Location Quotient: 1.71

6. Springfield, MO

Total Jobs: 490
Average Annual Salary: $129,960
Average Entry Level Salary: $108,980
Location Quotient: 1.17

7. Hilton Head Island, SC

Total Jobs: 250
Average Annual Salary: $117,840
Average Entry Level Salary: $104,480
Location Quotient: 1.67

8. Jonesboro, AR

Total Jobs: 130
Average Annual Salary: $124,640
Average Entry Level Salary: $101,230
Location Quotient: 1.19

9. Parkersburg, WV

Total Jobs: 120
Average Annual Salary: $117,490
Average Entry Level Salary: $97,230
Location Quotient: 1.39

10. Cape Girardeau, MO

Total Jobs: 110
Average Annual Salary: $135,920
Average Entry Level Salary: $98,600
Location Quotient: 1.26

And That’s Our List of the Best Cities for Pharmacists

If you’re embarking on your career as a pharmacist, consider these cities as prime locations. They offer competitive salaries, abundant job opportunities, and potential for career advancement.

Conversely, here are some cities where pharmacists may face challenges:

  1. Albany, OR
  2. California, MD
  3. Hartford, CT

Detailed List of the Best Cities for Pharmacists

Rank State Average Salary Entry Level Salary # Of People
1 Beckley, WV $140,060 $110,750 160
2 Decatur, AL $129,720 $105,470 170
3 Dothan, AL $120,110 $103,380 270
4 Florence, SC $127,620 $104,150 250
5 Brunswick, GA $122,290 $105,580 140
6 Springfield, MO $129,960 $108,980 490
7 Hilton Head Island, SC $117,840 $104,480 250
8 Jonesboro, AR $124,640 $101,230 130
9 Parkersburg, WV $117,490 $97,230 120
10 Cape Girardeau, MO $135,920 $98,600 110
11 Anniston, AL $131,540 $105,710 100
12 Athens, GA $123,180 $102,920 260
13 Greenville, NC $125,700 $105,800 280
14 Kingsport, TN $132,280 $99,390 310
15 Spartanburg, SC $125,430 $105,380 340
16 Jackson, MS $121,540 $99,870 690
17 Wheeling, WV $124,050 $104,360 140
18 New Bern, NC $130,190 $106,840 110
19 Albany, GA $125,660 $105,160 150
20 Canton, OH $128,970 $99,500 390
21 St. Joseph, MO $125,780 $107,110 120
22 Nashville, TN $120,260 $96,720 2,660
23 Gary, IN $117,680 $103,100 740
24 Columbia, MO $122,830 $106,730 200
25 La Crosse, WI $129,150 $106,180 230
26 Corpus Christi, TX $128,420 $106,050 440
27 Elizabethtown, KY $116,460 $99,000 110
28 Muncie, IN $113,890 $100,690 170
29 Boise City, ID $118,290 $102,500 670
30 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY $120,480 $103,040 1,310
31 Jackson, TN $114,100 $103,380 180
32 Huntsville, AL $125,020 $97,650 490
33 Wilmington, NC $126,160 $103,900 320
34 Chico, CA $141,670 $130,970 190
35 Greenville, SC $123,500 $102,370 850
36 Bowling Green, KY $120,080 $93,990 150
37 Fort Wayne, IN $121,410 $100,770 480
38 Wenatchee, WA $127,480 $106,360 120
39 Brownsville, TX $142,360 $123,920 260
40 Flint, MI $116,150 $103,360 530
41 Durham, NC $120,710 $102,870 920
42 Gadsden, AL $142,190 $82,910 100
43 Fayetteville, AR $135,420 $110,510 420
44 Knoxville, TN $130,600 $90,460 960
45 Morristown, TN $130,830 $100,910 80
46 Johnson City, TN $113,720 $93,860 300
47 Yuma, AZ $136,130 $113,850 130
48 Lubbock, TX $119,710 $98,350 380
49 Fayetteville, NC $127,280 $104,440 280
50 Joplin, MO $126,520 $104,600 150
51 Weirton, WV $116,210 $82,990 120
52 Bismarck, ND $118,500 $101,370 170
53 Chattanooga, TN $122,490 $105,080 470
54 Oklahoma City, OK $121,730 $85,980 1,780
55 Clarksville, TN $121,500 $104,340 170
56 Hattiesburg, MS $115,290 $87,860 210
57 Myrtle Beach, SC $120,200 $90,210 390
58 Youngstown, OH $122,470 $96,370 460
59 Longview, WA $129,240 $104,250 90
60 Charleston, SC $118,290 $86,730 990
61 Billings, MT $118,060 $103,380 190
62 Evansville, IN $118,500 $104,040 320
63 St. Louis, MO $116,580 $95,380 3,090
64 Amarillo, TX $125,700 $107,420 230
65 Daphne, AL $114,220 $87,410 230
66 Wichita, KS $118,970 $101,160 710
67 Goldsboro, NC $132,450 $100,560 90
68 Winston, NC $122,790 $98,900 730
69 Decatur, IL $129,600 $107,910 120
70 Lexington, KY $113,520 $86,850 600
71 Sioux Falls, SD $109,750 $88,920 580
72 Huntington, WV $121,830 $66,130 550
73 Tuscaloosa, AL $115,140 $91,750 250
74 Owensboro, KY $129,700 $108,850 80
75 Fort Smith, AR $115,870 $85,620 270
76 Rocky Mount, NC $135,780 $108,470 100
77 Santa Cruz, CA $171,090 $132,190 140
78 Rapid City, SD $116,250 $92,900 140
79 McAllen, TX $137,240 $107,170 420
80 Hickory, NC $131,420 $104,820 290
81 St. George, UT $123,870 $105,780 110
82 Kansas City, MO $117,520 $88,500 2,580
83 Lake Havasu City, AZ $136,330 $103,660 100
84 Great Falls, MT $112,310 $96,310 100
85 Odessa, TX $136,020 $115,060 120
86 Wichita Falls, TX $124,810 $100,650 110
87 Grants Pass, OR $123,430 $106,070 70
88 Kokomo, IN $114,490 $100,670 90
89 Fort Worth, TX $122,530 $103,130 1,950
90 Macon, GA $126,210 $106,990 170
91 El Paso, TX $121,720 $106,590 580
92 Stockton, CA $138,020 $111,530 700
93 Longview, TX $138,600 $109,480 150
94 Mansfield, OH $117,800 $98,780 100
95 Laredo, TX $148,320 $125,100 100
96 Cleveland, OH $115,100 $90,670 2,390
97 Gulfport, MS $119,320 $82,520 370
98 Fort Lauderdale, FL $128,880 $102,610 1,990
99 Redding, CA $143,770 $117,360 130
100 Sherman, TX $122,570 $104,220 80
Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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