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The average salary for a Staff Pharmacist in the United States is $118,844 annually, which translates to about $57 per hour. Salaries in this field are influenced by various factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific healthcare setting. For instance, pharmacists working in metropolitan areas tend to earn higher wages compared to those in rural settings.
Entry-level pharmacists can expect to earn less than their seasoned counterparts. As experience increases, so do salary prospects. For example, pharmacists with over 10 years of experience often see salaries exceeding $130,000 annually. This trend emphasizes the importance of career development and continuing education.
Some states offer significantly higher salaries for staff pharmacists. States like California, New York, and Texas are among the highest-paying, often exceeding the national average. Understanding these state-by-state variations is crucial for job seekers considering relocation or new job opportunities.
In addition to traditional retail settings, staff pharmacists have opportunities in hospitals, clinics, and pharmaceutical companies, each providing unique salary potentials and benefits. Exploring these options can lead to a rewarding career in pharmacy.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level staff pharmacist | $104,000 | $49.87 |
| Mid-level staff pharmacist | $125,000 | $59.87 |
| Senior-level staff pharmacist | $121,000 | $58.30 |
The average staff pharmacist salary in California, Oregon, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average staff pharmacist salary states are Kentucky, Missouri, and Iowa.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $146,951 | $70.65 |
| 2 | Oregon | $148,752 | $71.52 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $129,032 | $62.03 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $132,464 | $63.68 |
| 5 | Vermont | $136,422 | $65.59 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $129,322 | $62.17 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $137,164 | $65.94 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $137,115 | $65.92 |
| 9 | Alaska | $143,333 | $68.91 |
| 10 | California | $163,515 | $78.61 |
| 11 | Idaho | $125,051 | $60.12 |
| 12 | Nevada | $128,294 | $61.68 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $131,332 | $63.14 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $122,911 | $59.09 |
| 15 | Maryland | $131,389 | $63.17 |
| 16 | Maine | $124,925 | $60.06 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $125,346 | $60.26 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $131,522 | $63.23 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $131,601 | $63.27 |
| 20 | New York | $131,401 | $63.17 |
| 21 | Arizona | $127,308 | $61.21 |
| 22 | Kansas | $118,096 | $56.78 |
| 23 | Michigan | $125,325 | $60.25 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $132,311 | $63.61 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $122,570 | $58.93 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $109,424 | $52.61 |
| 27 | Indiana | $120,791 | $58.07 |
| 28 | Texas | $116,769 | $56.14 |
| 29 | Virginia | $121,987 | $58.65 |
| 30 | Alabama | $107,680 | $51.77 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $109,296 | $52.55 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $129,623 | $62.32 |
| 33 | Colorado | $117,929 | $56.70 |
| 34 | Delaware | $123,814 | $59.53 |
| 35 | Montana | $111,621 | $53.66 |
| 36 | Illinois | $119,585 | $57.49 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $113,379 | $54.51 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $105,536 | $50.74 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $114,298 | $54.95 |
| 40 | Utah | $112,044 | $53.87 |
| 41 | Missouri | $103,331 | $49.68 |
| 42 | Georgia | $106,831 | $51.36 |
| 43 | Ohio | $111,015 | $53.37 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $112,218 | $53.95 |
| 45 | Iowa | $103,252 | $49.64 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $89,660 | $43.11 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $108,502 | $52.16 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $107,106 | $51.49 |
| 49 | Florida | $107,445 | $51.66 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $90,484 | $43.50 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $100,300 | $48.22 |
The highest-paying cities for staff pharmacists are Richmond, CA, Eugene, OR, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond, CA | $171,899 | $82.64 |
| 2 | Eugene, OR | $151,953 | $73.05 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $147,567 | $70.95 |
| 4 | Carson City, NV | $132,379 | $63.64 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $131,641 | $63.29 |
| 6 | Fort Lee, NJ | $131,579 | $63.26 |
| 7 | Columbia, MD | $131,397 | $63.17 |
| 8 | Yuma, AZ | $127,822 | $61.45 |
| 9 | Detroit, MI | $125,534 | $60.35 |
| 10 | Portland, ME | $124,995 | $60.09 |
| 11 | Newark, DE | $123,779 | $59.51 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $122,865 | $59.07 |
| 13 | Charlotte, NC | $122,674 | $58.98 |
| 14 | Richmond, VA | $122,008 | $58.66 |
| 15 | Richmond, IN | $121,414 | $58.37 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $119,724 | $57.56 |
| 17 | El Paso, TX | $118,869 | $57.15 |
| 18 | Newark, OH | $111,355 | $53.54 |
| 19 | Columbia, TN | $109,284 | $52.54 |
| 20 | Columbia, SC | $108,572 | $52.20 |
A staff pharmacist's salary ranges from $93,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $151,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $151,000 | $12,583 | $73 |
| 75th Percentile | $135,000 | $11,250 | $65 |
| Average | $118,844 | $9,904 | $57 |
| 25th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
| 10th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
The highest paying types of staff pharmacists are pharmacist in charge, pharmacist, and retail pharmacist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy Internship | $80,116 | $6,676 | $38.52 | 89,197 |
| Pharmacist Consultant | $80,637 | $6,720 | $38.77 | 51,701 |
| Pharmacist Supervisor | $117,023 | $9,752 | $56.26 | 47,807 |
| Pharmacist In Charge | $120,281 | $10,023 | $57.83 | 55,466 |
| Outpatient Pharmacist Manager | $87,778 | $7,315 | $42.20 | 52,894 |
| Pharmacist Manager | $93,996 | $7,833 | $45.19 | 61,178 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for staff pharmacists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Michael J. Avaltroni Ph.D.
Top companies hiring staff pharmacists now:
Staff pharmacist salaries at Safeway and Mayo Clinic are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average staff pharmacist salary at companies like Vons and Smith's Food and Drug are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Safeway | $140,931 | $67.76 |
| 2 | Mayo Clinic | $139,674 | $67.15 |
| 3 | Vons | $136,853 | $65.79 |
| 4 | Smith's Food and Drug | $135,533 | $65.16 |
| 5 | Hannaford Supermarkets | $135,411 | $65.10 |
| 6 | Rite Aid | $135,401 | $65.10 |
| 7 | Amazon | $135,142 | $64.97 |
| 8 | H-E-B | $134,729 | $64.77 |
| 9 | Walmart | $134,724 | $64.77 |
| 10 | Price Chopper Supermarkets-Market 32 | $134,291 | $64.56 |
| 11 | Albertsons Companies | $133,589 | $64.23 |
| 12 | Kaleida Health | $132,879 | $63.88 |
| 13 | Harris Teeter | $131,999 | $63.46 |
| 14 | Albertsons | $131,330 | $63.14 |
| 15 | Save Mart Supermarkets | $131,064 | $63.01 |
| 16 | Raley's | $130,491 | $62.74 |
| 17 | UCSF Health | $130,082 | $62.54 |
| 18 | Kroger | $129,386 | $62.20 |
| 19 | University of Maryland Medical System | $128,944 | $61.99 |
| 20 | Carlsbad Medical Center | $128,191 | $61.63 |
The average staff pharmacist salary has risen by $14,145 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average staff pharmacist earned $104,699 annually, but today, they earn $118,844 a year. That works out to a 5% change in pay for staff pharmacists over the last decade.
Compare staff pharmacist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare staff pharmacist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $119,000 | $57.14 | +0.5% |
| 2025 | $118,000 | $56.86 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $116,000 | $55.99 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $115,000 | $55.12 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $113,000 | $54.26 | +0.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guardian Pharmacy | Staff Pharmacist | Salt Lake City, UT | 06/30/2025 | $99,840 |
| Essentia Health | Staff Pharmacist Prescription Service Center (Mail Order) | Superior, WI | 06/29/2025 | $94,773 |
| Searhc | Staff Pharmacist Hot | Wrangell, AK | 06/29/2025 | $130,771 |
| CVS Health | Staff Pharmacist | Bessemer, AL | 06/28/2025 | $125,220 |
| CVS Health | Staff Pharmacist | Washington, DC | 06/28/2025 | $135,655 |
| CVS Health | Staff Pharmacist | Minneapolis, MN | 06/28/2025 | $125,220 |
| Wal-Mart | Staff Pharmacist | Sioux City, IA | 06/28/2025 | $98,000 |
| Wal-Mart | (USA) Staff Pharmacist | Leominster, MA | 06/28/2025 | $98,000 |
| Wal-Mart | Staff Pharmacist | Boise, ID | 06/28/2025 | $98,000 |
| Wal-Mart | Staff Pharmacist | Las Cruces, NM | 06/28/2025 | $98,000 |
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