Pharmacist salary in the U.S.
Pharmacists in the U.S. earn a median of $140,910 a year ($67.75 an hour), based on BLS data for 321,970 workers.
Pay ranges from $99,290 for the lowest-paid 10% to $174,230 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $140,920, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for pharmacists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $99,290 | $47.73 |
| 25th percentile | $129,380 | $62.20 |
| Median | $140,910 | $67.75 |
| 75th percentile | $161,840 | $77.81 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $174,230 | $83.77 |
| Average (mean) | $140,920 | $67.75 |
Half of pharmacists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $11,742.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,871.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $5,419.62 |
| Weekly | $2,709.81 |
| Hourly | $67.75 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Pharmacist salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $167,310 | 560 |
| Oregon | $165,960 | 3,250 |
| California | $164,610 | 34,030 |
| Hawaii | $163,220 | 1,190 |
| Washington | $160,610 | 7,350 |
| Minnesota | $159,740 | 6,310 |
| Colorado | $156,030 | 4,560 |
| District of Columbia | $153,400 | 850 |
| Delaware | $152,880 | 790 |
| Wisconsin | $148,740 | 5,730 |
| New Mexico | $147,000 | 1,730 |
| Arizona | $146,930 | 6,900 |
| South Dakota | $146,790 | 1,280 |
| Idaho | $144,900 | 1,790 |
| Indiana | $144,290 | 6,430 |
| Utah | $144,240 | 2,830 |
| Virginia | $144,060 | 7,980 |
| New Hampshire | $143,020 | 1,130 |
| New York | $142,090 | 19,760 |
| Montana | $142,080 | 1,190 |
| North Dakota | $142,040 | 1,070 |
| Connecticut | $141,290 | 3,490 |
| Maine | $140,930 | 1,380 |
| Nevada | $140,030 | 2,500 |
| Wyoming | $139,550 | 510 |
| Nebraska | $139,330 | 2,450 |
| Illinois | $139,080 | 12,070 |
| Maryland | $138,990 | 5,400 |
| Iowa | $138,860 | 3,230 |
| North Carolina | $138,860 | 11,430 |
| Texas | $138,260 | 24,700 |
| Massachusetts | $138,170 | 7,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $138,160 | 14,090 |
| Michigan | $137,860 | 8,780 |
| Kansas | $137,800 | 3,500 |
| New Jersey | $137,620 | 9,420 |
| Missouri | $137,610 | 6,740 |
| Georgia | $137,120 | 10,530 |
| Ohio | $137,020 | 12,790 |
| Kentucky | $136,530 | 5,030 |
| Vermont | $136,270 | 530 |
| Arkansas | $136,060 | 2,900 |
| Florida | $135,970 | 21,540 |
| South Carolina | $135,700 | 5,320 |
| Oklahoma | $135,140 | 3,610 |
| Virgin Islands | $134,970 | 50 |
| Alabama | $134,630 | 5,400 |
| West Virginia | $133,430 | 2,260 |
| Tennessee | $133,390 | 8,250 |
| Mississippi | $133,230 | 3,050 |
| Louisiana | $132,410 | 5,610 |
| Guam | $129,090 | 70 |
| Rhode Island | $128,180 | 1,510 |
| Puerto Rico | $111,270 | 2,220 |
Best-paying metro areas for pharmacists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $200,580 | 180 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $199,040 | 1,960 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $177,410 | 3,670 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $173,340 | 50 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $172,860 | 240 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $172,680 | 2,310 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $172,630 | 70 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $171,900 | 90 |
| Vallejo, CA | $170,870 | 350 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $170,570 | 330 |
| Corvallis, OR | $170,470 | 100 |
| Salem, OR | $169,210 | 300 |
| Fresno, CA | $169,160 | 890 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $168,830 | 2,070 |
| Redding, CA | $166,800 | 160 |
Metro areas with the most pharmacists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 4,280 | $137,770 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,160 | $160,990 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 3,670 | $177,410 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | $46.90 |
| Physicians, All Other | $265,930 | $127.85 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 | $63.61 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 | $49.40 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $97,870 | $47.05 |
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | $48.24 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 | $65.33 |
| Respiratory Therapist | $82,280 | $39.56 |
| Dentists, General | $170,950 | $82.19 |
| Family Medicine Physician | $244,180 | $117.39 |
| Veterinarian | $130,100 | $62.55 |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| General Internal Medicine Physician | $256,560 | $123.35 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-1051. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pharmacist make in the U.S.?
The median salary for pharmacists in the U.S. is $140,910 a year, or $67.75 an hour. Pay ranges from $99,290 for the lowest-paid 10% to $174,230 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid pharmacists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of pharmacists in the U.S. earn at least $174,230 a year. The top 25% earn $161,840 or more.
What is the starting pay for pharmacists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $99,290 a year, and a quarter of pharmacists earn $129,380 or less.
How many pharmacists work in the U.S.?
About 321,970 pharmacists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.