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Pharmacist Salary
Pharmacist Salary Estimate
$118,968
How much does a Pharmacist make?
The average salary for a pharmacist in the United States is $118,968. Pharmacist salaries typically range between $93,000 and $151,000 a year. The average hourly rate for pharmacists is $57.2 per hour.
Location, education, and experience impacts how much a pharmacist can expect to make. Pharmacists make the most in California, Oregon, Washington, New Hampshire, and Nevada.
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The average salary for a pharmacist is $118,968 in the US. -
The average pharmacist salary ranges between $93,000 and $151,000 in the US. -
Hourly rates for pharmacists in the US typically range between $44 and $72 an hour. -
The average pharmacist salary is $161,597 in California, $155,710 in Oregon, and $149,466 in Washington. These are the three highest-paying states for pharmacists in the US. -
Safeway has the highest average salary for pharmacists. -
Retail is the highest-paying industry for pharmacists in the US.
Highest Paying States For Pharmacists
- State View
- County View
Pharmacist average salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $139,517 | $67.08 | 258 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $141,041 | $67.81 | 309 |
| 3 | California | $161,597 | $77.69 | 4,547 |
| 4 | Vermont | $137,658 | $66.18 | 136 |
| 5 | Washington | $149,466 | $71.86 | 1,051 |
| 6 | Oregon | $155,710 | $74.86 | 501 |
| 7 | Delaware | $136,276 | $65.52 | 199 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $129,724 | $62.37 | 2,018 |
| 9 | Nevada | $140,869 | $67.73 | 257 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $128,918 | $61.98 | 870 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $131,960 | $63.44 | 183 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $131,978 | $63.45 | 1,659 |
| 13 | Michigan | $124,768 | $59.98 | 1,360 |
| 14 | New York | $131,594 | $63.27 | 2,656 |
| 15 | Arizona | $126,174 | $60.66 | 961 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $134,175 | $64.51 | 464 |
| 17 | Ohio | $117,573 | $56.53 | 1,861 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $128,502 | $61.78 | 952 |
| 19 | Alaska | $134,044 | $64.44 | 105 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $125,068 | $60.13 | 1,347 |
| 21 | Maryland | $135,894 | $65.33 | 847 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $115,339 | $55.45 | 298 |
| 23 | Idaho | $125,760 | $60.46 | 213 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $129,145 | $62.09 | 229 |
| 25 | Indiana | $117,338 | $56.41 | 1,071 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $117,448 | $56.47 | 594 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $131,698 | $63.32 | 1,010 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $128,245 | $61.66 | 140 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $115,570 | $55.56 | 831 |
| 30 | Illinois | $120,887 | $58.12 | 1,854 |
| 31 | Virginia | $128,380 | $61.72 | 1,219 |
| 32 | Kansas | $118,122 | $56.79 | 417 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $112,879 | $54.27 | 958 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $134,115 | $64.48 | 104 |
| 35 | Missouri | $116,513 | $56.02 | 910 |
| 36 | Texas | $115,089 | $55.33 | 2,869 |
| 37 | Colorado | $120,986 | $58.17 | 643 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $116,366 | $55.95 | 228 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $105,677 | $50.81 | 390 |
| 40 | Alabama | $106,271 | $51.09 | 713 |
| 41 | Montana | $111,924 | $53.81 | 174 |
| 42 | Utah | $116,009 | $55.77 | 301 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $102,542 | $49.30 | 600 |
| 44 | Iowa | $110,405 | $53.08 | 484 |
| 45 | Georgia | $114,118 | $54.86 | 1,363 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $114,359 | $54.98 | 74 |
| 47 | Florida | $109,106 | $52.45 | 2,305 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $112,326 | $54.00 | 54 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $98,951 | $47.57 | 437 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $100,246 | $48.20 | 101 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $89,660 | $43.11 | 332 |
Highest Paying Cities For Pharmacists
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $169,716 | $81.59 | 26 |
| 2 | Vancouver, WA | $154,068 | $74.07 | 8 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $154,022 | $74.05 | 14 |
| 4 | Portland, ME | $139,656 | $67.14 | 14 |
| 5 | Newark, DE | $136,264 | $65.51 | 2 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $135,965 | $65.37 | 21 |
| 7 | Bridgeport, CT | $134,224 | $64.53 | 5 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $134,157 | $64.50 | 11 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $132,014 | $63.47 | 30 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $131,758 | $63.35 | 67 |
| 11 | Washington, NJ | $131,731 | $63.33 | 11 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $130,061 | $62.53 | 22 |
| 13 | Albuquerque, NM | $129,520 | $62.27 | 14 |
| 14 | Milwaukee, WI | $129,412 | $62.22 | 21 |
| 15 | Arlington, VA | $128,336 | $61.70 |
Here Are The Five Most In Demand Cities Right Now:
Pharmacist Salary by Years of Experience
Pharmacist Salary By Experience Level
| Experience Level | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level | $104,000 | $49.92 |
| Mid Level | $125,000 | $59.93 |
| Senior Level | $121,000 | $58.36 |
Pharmacists Salary Details
What is a Pharmacist's Salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $151,000 | $12,583 | $73 |
| 75th Percentile | $135,000 | $11,250 | $65 |
| Average | $118,968 | $9,914 | $57 |
| 25th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
| 10th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
Highest Paying Types of Pharmacists
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outpatient Pharmacist Manager | $87,778 | $7,315 | $42.20 | 52,894 |
| Pharmacy Internship | $80,116 | $6,676 | $38.52 | 89,197 |
| Clinical Staff Pharmacist | $77,646 | $6,470 | $37.33 | 162,262 |
| Director Of Pharmacist | $88,811 | $7,401 | $42.70 | 58,823 |
| Pharmacist Consultant | $80,637 | $6,720 | $38.77 | 51,701 |
| Pharmacist Supervisor | $117,023 | $9,752 | $56.26 | 47,807 |
How Would You Rate The Starting Salaries For Pharmacists, As Well As The Prospects For Salary Advancement?
Michael J. Avaltroni Ph.D.
Dean, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Starting salaries for pharmacists are typically among the highest of any profession, with averages exceeding $125k per year, and the unemployment rate for pharmacists has been perennially very low. The salary structure provides a great opportunity for new graduates, and there is room for growth and advancement in every area of pharmacy, from community retail to hospital to industry. Upward mobility exists in many areas of practice, and the prospect for expanded leadership roles in pharmacy and healthcare practice should serve the profession well in promoting additional growth opportunities.Show more
Here are the five companies hiring the most now:
Which Companies Pay Pharmacists The Most?
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Safeway | $140,576 | $67.58 | 1 |
| 2 | QFC Quality Food Center | $140,140 | $67.38 | |
| 3 | Mayo Clinic | $139,331 | $66.99 | 36 |
| 4 | Rite Aid | $135,215 | $65.01 | 436 |
| 5 | Stanford Health Care | $135,181 | $64.99 | 14 |
| 6 | Smith's Food and Drug | $135,023 | $64.91 | |
| 7 | Hannaford Supermarkets | $134,989 | $64.90 | 80 |
| 8 | Food City | $134,851 | $64.83 | 37 |
| 9 | Walmart | $134,750 | $64.78 | 827 |
| 10 | Amazon | $134,724 | $64.77 | 28 |
| 11 | Chewy | $134,175 | $64.51 | 23 |
| 12 | Price Chopper Supermarkets-Market 32 | $133,848 | $64.35 | 33 |
| 13 | Albertsons Companies | $133,231 | $64.05 | 232 |
| 14 | Eastern Connecticut Health Network (echn) | $132,567 | $63.73 | 3 |
| 15 | Bashas' | $132,565 | $63.73 | 14 |
| 16 | Harris Teeter | $131,837 | $63.38 | 208 |
| 17 | Schnucks | $131,736 | $63.33 | |
| 18 | Parkview Health | $131,282 | $63.12 | 12 |
| 19 | Albertsons | $130,979 | $62.97 | |
| 20 | Community Medical Center | $130,601 | $62.79 | 10 |
How Much Do Pharmacists Make In Different Industries?
Pharmacist salaries can vary depending on the industry. In fact, our data shows that the retail, health care, and agriculture industries tend to offer much higher salaries for pharmacists. For example, pharmacists make a whopping average salary of $122,179 while working in the retail industry. Meanwhile, other people in this field are making $111,068 in the health care industry and $98,320 in the agriculture industry.
Pharmacists may want to avoid working in the government industry as it offers the lowest average salary of $78,448.
Highest Paying Industries For Pharmacists
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail | $122,179 | $58.74 |
| 2 | Health Care | $111,068 | $53.40 |
| 3 | Agriculture | $98,320 | $47.27 |
| 4 | Government | $78,448 | $37.72 |
High Paying Pharmacist Jobs
Pharmacist Pay Trends
Average Pharmacist Salary Over Time
Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Pharmacist Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $119,000 | $57.20 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $118,000 | $56.92 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $117,000 | $56.05 | +1.5% |
| 2020 | $115,000 | $55.18 | +1.6% |
| 2019 | $113,000 | $54.32 | +0.6% |
Recently Added Pharmacist Salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sbhu | Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist-Day Shift-Includes Weekend Hours | Stony Brook, NY | 05/04/2023 | $123,026 |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Pharmacist, Inpatient-Night Shift | New York, NY | 05/03/2023 | $125,011 |
| Theraex Staffing Services | Pharmacist-Pharmacist | Santa Rosa, CA | 05/03/2023 | $104,350 |
| DOCS Management Services | Pharmacist-Managed Care Auth Reviewer Remote | Rote, PA | 05/03/2023 | $125,220 |
| Theraex Staffing Services | Pharmacist-Pharmacist | Klamath Falls, OR | 05/03/2023 | $104,350 |
| Option Care | Pharmacy Resident | Omaha, NE | 05/02/2023 | $41,187 |
| Pride Health | Pharmacist | New York, NY | 05/02/2023 | $187,830 |
| Via Care Community Health Center | Per Diem Pharmacist | Los Angeles, CA | 05/02/2023 | $125,220 |
| Totalmed | Pharmacist-Health Plan | P-HP | | New Orleans, LA | 05/02/2023 | $167,190 |
| Totalmed | Pharmacist-Health Plan | P-HP | Hawthorne, New York | | White Plains, NY | 05/02/2023 | $140,392 |
Pharmacist Salaries FAQs
What State Pays Pharmacists The Most?
California pays Pharmacists the most in the United States, with an average salary of $161,597 per year, or $77.69 per hour.
How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As A Pharmacist?
You know if you are being paid fairly as a Pharmacist if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in Oregon you should be paid close to $155,710 per year.
What Is A Good Starting Salary For A Pharmacist?
A good starting salary for a pharmacist is $100,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a pharmacist in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for pharmacists is $125,415, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a pharmacist can vary by state.
What Is The Average Starting Salary For A Pharmacist?
An appropriate starting salary for a pharmacist would be around $90,000 per year. For a starting salary, this is relatively high. Keep in mind, though, that the education necessary to secure a career as a pharmacist is often very rigorous.
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