Pharmacist demographics and statistics in the US
Pharmacist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates pharmacist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our pharmacist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about pharmacists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 313,799 pharmacists currently employed in the United States.
- 56.8% of all pharmacists are women, while 43.2% are men.
- The average pharmacist age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of pharmacists is White (62.4%), followed by Asian (20.9%), Black or African American (7.0%) and Hispanic or Latino (5.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 98% of what men earned.
- 11% of all pharmacists are LGBT.
- Pharmacists are 72% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Pharmacist demographics by:
Pharmacist gender statistics
56.8% of pharmacists are women and 43.2% of pharmacists are men.
- Female, 56.8%
- Male, 43.2%
Pharmacist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 56.8% |
| Male | 43.2% |
Pharmacist gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$95,349
Female income
$93,299
Pharmacist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in pharmacist positions over time. Currently, 56.8% of pharmacists are female.
Pharmacist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 49.61% | 50.39% |
| 2011 | 49.61% | 50.39% |
| 2012 | 48.67% | 51.33% |
| 2013 | 46.74% | 53.26% |
| 2014 | 46.20% | 53.80% |
| 2015 | 47.01% | 52.99% |
| 2016 | 46.52% | 53.48% |
| 2017 | 45.57% | 54.43% |
| 2018 | 43.74% | 56.26% |
| 2019 | 46.61% | 53.39% |
| 2020 | 44.56% | 55.44% |
| 2021 | 43.18% | 56.82% |
Pharmacist related jobs gender ratio
We compared pharmacists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Pharmacist | 43% | 57% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Pharmacist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among pharmacists is White, which makes up 62.4% of all pharmacists. Comparatively, 20.9% of pharmacists are Asian and 7.0% of pharmacists are Black or African American.
- White, 62.4%
- Asian, 20.9%
- Black or African American, 7.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 5.6%
- Unknown, 4.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
Pharmacist race
| Pharmacist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 62.4% |
| Asian | 20.9% |
| Black or African American | 7.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.6% |
| Unknown | 4.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.1% |
Pharmacist race and ethnicity over time
See how pharmacist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Pharmacist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.18% | 7.15% | 15.39% | 4.34% |
| 2011 | 71.09% | 6.51% | 16.27% | 4.19% |
| 2012 | 69.34% | 7.79% | 16.31% | 4.87% |
| 2013 | 69.70% | 7.85% | 15.94% | 4.60% |
| 2014 | 69.76% | 7.83% | 16.44% | 3.88% |
| 2015 | 69.80% | 7.04% | 16.66% | 4.29% |
| 2016 | 68.15% | 7.68% | 17.24% | 4.80% |
| 2017 | 67.93% | 7.75% | 17.76% | 4.69% |
| 2018 | 67.14% | 6.87% | 19.22% | 4.44% |
| 2019 | 66.22% | 7.64% | 18.87% | 4.67% |
| 2020 | 65.10% | 6.56% | 19.38% | 5.28% |
| 2021 | 62.41% | 7.02% | 20.86% | 5.57% |
Pharmacist wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown pharmacists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american pharmacists have the lowest average salary at $92,830.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $97,173 |
| White | $96,560 |
| Black or African American | $92,830 |
| Asian | $96,683 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $93,581 |
Average pharmacist age
See how the average age of pharmacists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Pharmacist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 39 | 35 |
| White | 42 | 40.5 |
| Black or African American | 40 | 42 |
| Asian | 37 | 38 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40.5 | 39 |
Pharmacist age breakdown
The average age of pharmacists is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the pharmacist population.
Pharmacist age breakdown
| Pharmacist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 38% |
| 20-30 years | 10% |
Pharmacist educational attainment
The most common degree for pharmacists is bachelor's degree, with 55% of pharmacists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 27% and doctoral degree degree at 6%.
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Doctorate, 27%
- Master's, 6%
- Associate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Pharmacists by degree level
| Pharmacist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 55% |
| Doctorate | 27% |
| Master's | 6% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Pharmacist jobs you might like
Pharmacist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, pharmacists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $122,513 annually. With a Master's degree, pharmacists earn a median annual income of $116,591 compared to $115,712 for pharmacists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $116,591 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $115,712 |
| Doctorate Degree | $122,513 |
Pharmacist employment statistics
Most pharmacists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where pharmacists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where pharmacists work.
Pharmacist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 14% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 36% |
Pharmacist jobs by company type
Employees with the pharmacist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most pharmacists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Pharmacist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 17% |
| Private | 72% |
| Government | 4% |
Pharmacist jobs by industry
The most common industries for pharmacists are health care, retail and education.
Pharmacist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 46% |
| Retail | 18% |
| Fortune 500 | 9% |
| Pharmaceutical | 6% |
| Education | 6% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Government | 3% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Pharmacist turnover and employment statistics
Pharmacist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for pharmacists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Pharmacist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Pharmacist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.36% |
| 2011 | 1.76% |
| 2012 | 1.49% |
| 2013 | 1.02% |
| 2014 | 1.38% |
| 2015 | 1.18% |
| 2016 | 1.29% |
| 2017 | 1.14% |
| 2018 | 1.60% |
| 2019 | 1.29% |
| 2020 | 2.07% |
| 2021 | 1.58% |
Average pharmacist tenure
The average pharmacist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 34,855 pharmacists resumes in Zippia's database.
Pharmacist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 24% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Pharmacist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of pharmacists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Group Practice Pediatrician | 9.88% | 17,062 |
| Pharmacist | 10.71% | - |
| Emergency Medicine, Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 63,558 |
| Bariatric Weight Loss Clinic Manager And Counselor | 13.00% | 43,780 |
| Geriatric Physician | 13.05% | 38,498 |
| Eye Clinic Manager | 17.57% | 15,789 |
| Associate Professor Program Director Nurse Anesthesia | 31.64% | 75,423 |
Similar pharmacist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Group Practice Pediatrician | 9.88% | 17,062 |
| Emergency Medicine, Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 63,558 |
| Bariatric Weight Loss Clinic Manager And Counselor | 13.00% | 43,780 |
| Geriatric Physician | 13.05% | 38,498 |
| Eye Clinic Manager | 17.57% | 15,789 |
| Associate Professor Program Director Nurse Anesthesia | 31.64% | 75,423 |
Foreign languages spoken by pharmacists
The most common foreign language among pharmacists is Spanish at 35.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Arabic at 7.9% and French is the third-most popular at 7.4%.
- Spanish, 35.8%
- Arabic, 7.9%
- French, 7.4%
- Chinese, 6.5%
- Vietnamese, 6.5%
- Other, 35.9%
Pharmacist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 35.8% |
| Arabic | 7.9% |
| French | 7.4% |
| Chinese | 6.5% |
| Vietnamese | 6.5% |
| Other | 35.9% |
