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Pharmacists Salary
Pharmacists earn a median $140,910 a year in the U.S., with 321,970 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $140,910 a year
- Employment
- 321,970
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +5.2%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 12,500
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $140,910 · $67.75 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $140,920 · $67.75 an hour (estimate error ±0.3%)
- 10th percentile
- $99,290 · $47.73 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $129,380 · $62.20 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $161,840 · $77.81 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $174,230 · $83.77 an hour
- Employment
- 321,970 (estimate error ±0.9%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
Dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. May advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of medications.
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 325,200
- Projected for 2035
- 342,300
- Change
- +17,100 (+5.2%)
- Openings each year
- 12,500
- Typical education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- 0.3%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $167,310 | 560 |
| 2 | Oregon | $165,960 | 3,250 |
| 3 | California | $164,610 | 34,030 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $163,220 | 1,190 |
| 5 | Washington | $160,610 | 7,350 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $159,740 | 6,310 |
| 7 | Colorado | $156,030 | 4,560 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $153,400 | 850 |
| 9 | Delaware | $152,880 | 790 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $148,740 | 5,730 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 34,030 | $164,610 |
| Texas | 24,700 | $138,260 |
| Florida | 21,540 | $135,970 |
| New York | 19,760 | $142,090 |
| Pennsylvania | 14,090 | $138,160 |
| Ohio | 12,790 | $137,020 |
| Illinois | 12,070 | $139,080 |
| North Carolina | 11,430 | $138,860 |
| Georgia | 10,530 | $137,120 |
| New Jersey | 9,420 | $137,620 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
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| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Napa, CA | $200,580 | 180 |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $199,040 | 1,960 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $177,410 | 3,670 |
| 4 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $172,860 | 240 |
| 5 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $172,680 | 2,310 |
| 6 | Vallejo, CA | $170,870 | 350 |
| 7 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $170,570 | 330 |
| 8 | Corvallis, OR | $170,470 | 100 |
| 9 | Salem, OR | $169,210 | 300 |
| 10 | Fresno, CA | $169,160 | 890 |
| 11 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $168,830 | 2,070 |
| 12 | Redding, CA | $166,800 | 160 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 20,000 | $141,320 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 12,450 | $157,440 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 8,930 | $140,880 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 7,230 | $138,170 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 6,460 | $148,740 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 6,410 | $140,470 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 6,150 | $135,210 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 6,120 | $139,870 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 5,280 | $139,660 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 5,260 | $150,540 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 5,050 | $144,490 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 4,440 | $162,870 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- H-1B (FY 2026 through Q3)384 certified filingsMedian offered wage $141,252
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)49 certified filingsMedian offered wage $130,291
Pharmacists pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Related occupations
Frequently asked questions
- How much do pharmacists make?
- The median wage for pharmacists in the U.S. is $140,910 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $129,380 and $161,840.
- Which state pays pharmacists the most?
- Alaska has the highest median wage for this occupation at $167,310 a year.
- What is the job outlook for pharmacists?
- BLS projects employment to grow 5.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 12,500 openings each year on average.
- What education do pharmacists need?
- The typical entry-level education is: doctoral or professional degree.