Pharmacist Salary Guide

When asking yourself how much do pharmacists make, it’s important to understand that the salary of a pharmacist depends upon experience, industry and geographical location. In addition, there are certain specialties in which some pharmacists are trained that can have an effect on the salary. By all accounts, job opportunities in this occupation are excellent for all specialties. And while most pharmacists work a full work week, many of them work part time and still make a very decent pharmacist salary.

Average Pharmacist Salary in the U.S.

The U. S. Department of Labor Occupational Employment Statistics reports that approximately 268,000 pharmacists were employed in the United States as of May 2010. The average pharmacy salary was a mean hourly wage of $52.59 an hour and a mean annual wage of $111,000. Ten percent earned $82,000 a year, 25 percent earned $88,000 annually. Seventy five percent of the pharmacists earned $125,000 yearly and 90 percent earned $138,000. It’s important to mention that these estimates do not include pharmacists that worked part time nor were they identified by specialty. The table below shows the results of a survey about their current pharmacist salary in 2011.

Industries that Pay the Highest Pharmacy Salary

Industry is something that affects how much do pharmacists make. Mental health and substance abuse facilities pay an annual mean wage of $122,380 per year for pharmacists. Pharmacy consultants in management, scientific or technical services earn over $121,000. Physicians’ offices pay pharmacists, on average, $113,450. General merchandise stores and ambulatory health services each pay pharmacists approximately $112,000 a year.

States with Largest Salaries for this Occupation

A pharmacist starting salary can also be influenced by the state you live in. The state of Maine pays pharmacists $58.40 per hour; $121,400 a year. California pays the second highest salary of $57.12 or $118,000 annually; Alaska pays close to the same wage. Alabama pays pharmacists in their state $56.70 hourly, or $118,000 a year. In fifth place is the state of Vermont which pays $56.68 or $117,900 to their pharmacists each year.

Pharmacy Specialties

As you can read from our how to become a pharmacist post, some pharmacists train to specialize in certain drug therapy areas. These pharmacy specialties include oncology, geriatric, psychiatric and nuclear pharmacy. While the salaries may be slightly different, each pharmacy specialty requires education and training along with mastering certain skills to be a successful pharmacist.

Nuclear Pharmacist Salary

A nuclear pharmacist works under the direction of a physician and is responsible for dispensing, compounding and distributing radiopharmaceutical drugs, such as those used for chemotherapy. The average nuclear pharmacy salary is $112,000 annually. Ten percent of nuclear pharmacists earn $96,000; 25 percent earn $104,000; 75 percent earn $125,000 and ninety percent earn $138,000 annually.

Clinical Pharmacist Salary

A clinical pharmacist consults with other medical practitioners to conduct reviews on drug utilization. They monitor prescription orders as well as how patients react to medication in addition to finding any errors in prescriptions. The median salary of a pharmacist working in this capacity is about $102,000 a year. Ten percent earn the lowest salary for this occupation at $89,000 yearly. Ninety percent of the clinical pharmacists in the United States earn a salary of $115,000 a year.

Job Prospects

Employment in the pharmacy occupation is expected to grow faster than average over the next few years, especially as healthcare providers such as pharmacists will always be needed, even more so in the future to counteract demand brought by the aging of the population in the US. Demands for the job will increase with more use of mail order pharmacies. In addition, hospitals, grocery stores and mass retailers will need more pharmacists as these facilities begin to offer patient care services, including prescription services. With the population in North America aging rapidly, bureau of labor statistics expects a rise job opportunities and in a higher pharmacist salary in the future.

You might want to consult our pharmacist job description post if you want more information on the actual duties a pharmacist must perform. We also have information on pharmacy technicians. Salary information & their job description.