Average Pharmacist Salary in United States for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Pharmacist salary for 2024 in United States and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the United States dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the USD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.

How Much Does a Pharmacist Make in United States?

A Pharmacist working in United States will typically earn around 127,600 USD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 63,800 USD to the highest average salary of 199,700 USD.

Average Annual Salary
127,600 USD
Average Monthly Salary
10,633 USD

Lowest Annual Salary
63,800 USD
Lowest Monthly Salary
5,316 USD

Highest Annual Salary
199,700 USD
Highest Monthly Salary
16,641 USD

These are average salaries for a Pharmacist in United States and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Pharmacist to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Pharmacist salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Pharmacist Salaries in United States

So we've looked at the average salaries a Pharmacist will earn in United States. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Pharmacist can earn between 63,800 USD and 199,700 USD on average in United States. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Pharmacist in United States is 127,600 USD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 127,600 USD, and 50% of the population earn more than 127,600 USD.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Pharmacist salary in United States, 25% of the population are earning less than 86,600 USD while 75% of the population earn more than 86,600 USD.

75% of the population earn less than 164,100 USD, and 25% of the population earn more than 164,100 USD.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Pharmacist Salary by Experience Level in United States

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average pharmacist salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Pharmacist in United States that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 78,200 USD.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Pharmacist salary would increase to 103,600 USD.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Pharmacist, the average salary would be 137,100 USD.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 161,300 USD.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Pharmacist with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 176,300 USD.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Pharmacist with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 189,800 USD.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
78,200 USD
2-5 Years +32%
103,600 USD
5-10 Years +34%
137,100 USD
10-15 Years +19%
161,300 USD
15-20 Years +8%
176,300 USD
20+ Years +7%
189,800 USD

Pharmacist Salary by Education Level in United States

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Pharmacist in United States based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Pharmacist in United States with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 108,200 USD.

  • Master's Degree. A Pharmacist in United States with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 172,100 USD.

Average Salary by Education Chart

Bachelor's Degree
108,200 USD
Master's Degree +58%
172,100 USD

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United States is around 39,500 to 118,000 USD and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Pharmacist Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In United States, a male pharmacist will earn an average of 130,500 USD, while a female pharmacist will earn around 123,800 USD.

This means that a male pharmacist earns approximately 5% more than a female pharmacist for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in United States

Male
130,500 USD
Female -5%
123,800 USD

Pharmacist Average Pay Raise in United States

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Pharmacist in United States is around 11% every 17 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United States is around 8% every 16 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 11 ÷ 17 ) × 12  = 8%

What this means is that a Pharmacist in United States can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 8% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in United States for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United States.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
4%
Energy
8%
Information Technology
3%
Healthcare
7%
Travel
2%
Construction
6%
Education
1%

Pharmacist Bonus and Incentive Rates in United States

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Pharmacist is a moderate bonus based job, with 57% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

43% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6%.

Received Bonus
57%
No Bonus
43%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United States earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
98,800 USD
Private Sector -6%
93,100 USD

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Pharmacist

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Pharmacist in United States.

Job Title Category Salary
Assistant Pharmacist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 79,600 USD
Assistant Pharmacy Director Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 151,800 USD
Associate Medical Affairs Director Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 204,900 USD
Bioinformatics Scientist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 193,400 USD
Bioinformatics Technician Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 83,200 USD
Biological Scientist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 200,600 USD
Biological Technician Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 86,800 USD
Biomedical Engineer Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 85,500 USD
Biomedical Engineering Director Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 153,800 USD
Biostatistician Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 127,700 USD
Biotechnologist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 130,500 USD
Biotechnology Lead Data Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 101,100 USD
Chemical Process Technician Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 87,400 USD
Clinical Consultant Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 125,400 USD
Clinical Data Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 127,700 USD
Clinical Data Specialist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 119,700 USD
Clinical Informatics Specialist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 93,100 USD
Clinical Operations Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 172,300 USD
Clinical Pharmacist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 118,900 USD
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 146,900 USD
Clinical Programmer Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 64,400 USD
Clinical Project Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 119,700 USD
Clinical Research Associate Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 109,700 USD
Clinical Research Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 177,100 USD
Clinical Study Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 157,600 USD
Compliance Specialist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 125,400 USD
Cytology Laboratory Technologist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 103,600 USD
Cytotechnologist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 105,800 USD
GCP Auditor Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 107,700 USD
Hospital Pharmacy Technician Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 91,700 USD
Manufacturing Engineer Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 102,700 USD
Medical Affairs Director Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 191,100 USD
Medical Representative Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 80,800 USD
Medical Science Liaison Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 140,700 USD
Molecular and Cellular Biologist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 205,400 USD
Nuclear Pharmacist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 128,400 USD
Pharmaceutical Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 218,700 USD
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Lead Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 239,000 USD
Pharmaceutical Operations Excellence Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 193,400 USD
Pharmaceutical Process Engineer Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 112,700 USD
Pharmaceutical Production Assistant Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 141,000 USD
Pharmaceutical Project Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 127,600 USD
Pharmaceutical Quality Auditor Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 139,100 USD
Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Assistant Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 99,100 USD
Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 139,100 USD
Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Specialist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 108,200 USD
Pharmaceutical Representative Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 83,200 USD
Pharmaceutical Research Associate Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 130,500 USD
Pharmaceutical Research Scientist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 182,400 USD
Pharmaceutical Researcher Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 187,500 USD
Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 158,900 USD
Pharmaceutical Sales Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 172,300 USD
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 82,200 USD
Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 183,600 USD
Pharmaceutical Team Leader Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 130,400 USD
Pharmaceutical Technologist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 96,400 USD
Pharmacy Aide Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 83,400 USD
Pharmacy Manager Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 168,700 USD
Pharmacy Stock Controller Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 73,200 USD
Pharmacy Technician Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 74,100 USD
Records Management Coordinator Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 69,200 USD
Shift Encapsulator Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 73,500 USD
Staff Pharmacist Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 125,400 USD

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United States, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Atlanta 118,900 USD
Austin 134,700 USD
Baltimore 125,400 USD
Boston 130,500 USD
Bristol 103,600 USD
Chicago 140,200 USD
Cincinnati 102,700 USD
Cleveland 109,000 USD
Dallas 139,100 USD
Denver 123,000 USD
Detroit 121,800 USD
Honolulu 100,700 USD
Houston 147,900 USD
Indianapolis 130,400 USD
Iowa City 99,700 USD
Jacksonville 130,400 USD
Kansas City 123,000 USD
Kent 103,600 USD
Las Vegas 128,200 USD
Long Beach 114,600 USD
Los Angeles 151,800 USD
Memphis 123,000 USD
Miami 112,700 USD
Minneapolis 111,700 USD
New Orleans 112,700 USD
New York 146,700 USD
Oakland 108,200 USD
Oklahoma City 127,700 USD
Orlando 99,700 USD
Philadelphia 140,700 USD
Phoenix 134,700 USD
Sacramento 117,100 USD
San Antonio 142,100 USD
San Diego 142,100 USD
San Francisco 132,000 USD
San Jose 139,100 USD
Seattle 127,700 USD
Tampa 105,800 USD
Vancouver 109,000 USD
Washington D.C. 128,200 USD

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United States.

City Average Salary
Alabama 125,400 USD
Alaska 107,700 USD
Arizona 128,200 USD
Arkansas 114,300 USD
California 130,400 USD
Colorado 130,500 USD
Connecticut 127,700 USD
Delaware 114,300 USD
District of Columbia 114,600 USD
Florida 141,000 USD
Georgia 137,100 USD
Hawaii 114,300 USD
Idaho 116,400 USD
Illinois 134,700 USD
Indiana 127,600 USD
Iowa 115,600 USD
Kansas 114,300 USD
Kentucky 118,900 USD
Louisiana 117,100 USD
Maine 118,900 USD
Maryland 134,100 USD
Massachusetts 132,000 USD
Michigan 138,700 USD
Minnesota 130,500 USD
Mississippi 119,700 USD
Missouri 127,600 USD
Montana 112,700 USD
Nebraska 116,400 USD
Nevada 115,600 USD
New Hampshire 111,700 USD
New Jersey 127,600 USD
New Mexico 114,600 USD
New York 130,500 USD
North Carolina 128,200 USD
North Dakota 114,900 USD
Ohio 140,700 USD
Oklahoma 127,700 USD
Oregon 123,800 USD
Pennsylvania 139,100 USD
Rhode Island 112,700 USD
South Carolina 123,800 USD
South Dakota 111,700 USD
Tennessee 127,600 USD
Texas 137,100 USD
Utah 114,900 USD
Vermont 105,800 USD
Virginia 128,200 USD
Washington 123,800 USD
West Virginia 123,000 USD
Wisconsin 130,400 USD
Wyoming 111,700 USD

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