In the 1990s, pharmacy education on the college level underwent a shift away from five-year undergraduate degrees toward new doctor of pharmacy graduate study. Graduates of this six-year program – which includes two years of undergraduate training -- are prepared to work as pharmacists. After they complete their education, they usually must pass licensure examinations and background checks before they are able to get a job in a pharmacy. At that point, they may find work in standalone drugstores, pharmacies contained within retailers and groceries, or various types of health-care facilities.
The mean annual wage for the 272,320 pharmacists employed in the United States was $112,160 as of May 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Recent graduates may make a salary in the lower end of the wage range, earning $101,360 in the 25th percentile or even $84,490 or less in the lowest-paid 10 percent. Those in the top 25 percent made $129,310 or more, while those in the top 10 percent earned $144,090 or higher.
By far the most common employers of pharmacists were health and personal care stores, such as drugstores. They employed 119,770 such workers, nearly 44 percent of all pharmacists in the bureau’s survey, and paid them a mean annual wage of $114,040. Hospitals were the second-largest employer, with 59,640 pharmacists on the payrolls. They were paid a mean annual wage of $110,810, according to the bureau.
The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry was the best place for pharmacists to work in terms of pay, according to the survey. Although only 120 pharmacists worked in the industry as of May 2011, they earned a mean annual wage of $125,480 -- nearly 12 percent higher than the overall average for the profession. The second-best industry in terms of pay was the retail industry, which paid 14,820 pharmacists $118,630 a year on average.
Salary by State
California and Texas were the two states in which 20,000 or more pharmacists were employed, according to the bureau. In California, 22,960 such workers earned a mean annual wage of $122,800. In Texas, 20,000 pharmacists earned $113,570 a year on average. The best-paying state for graduates of a pharmacy program was Alaska, where 410 made an average of $125,330 per year.
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