Pharmacist Salary: How Much Do Pharmacists Make?
Median pay, percentiles and employment for pharmacists — nationally, in all 50 states, and by metro.
Short answer: the median pharmacist salary in the United States is $140,910 a year ($67.75 an hour). The middle of the market runs $129,380 to $161,840, and the 10th to 90th percentile spans $99,290 to $174,230. Location matters more than most people expect: the median is $167,310 in Alaska and $128,180 in Rhode Island — a $39,130 gap for the same job. About 321,970 people work as pharmacists nationally.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Public-domain federal data, surveyed from employers.
Pharmacist salary by state
Annual wages for Pharmacists (BLS occupation code 29-1051). Percentiles show the spread within each state.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $90,010 | $134,630 | $161,940 | 5,400 |
| Alaska | $133,830 | $167,310 | $196,020 | 560 |
| Arizona | $103,490 | $146,930 | $171,660 | 6,900 |
| Arkansas | $105,560 | $136,060 | $164,940 | 2,900 |
| California | $90,560 | $164,610 | $213,820 | 34,030 |
| Colorado | $120,410 | $156,030 | $188,430 | 4,560 |
| Connecticut | $106,660 | $141,290 | $165,360 | 3,490 |
| Delaware | $103,170 | $152,880 | $178,760 | 790 |
| District of Columbia | $64,870 | $153,400 | $196,080 | 850 |
| Florida | $56,000 | $135,970 | $166,310 | 21,540 |
| Georgia | $100,950 | $137,120 | $170,110 | 10,530 |
| Hawaii | $127,410 | $163,220 | $177,290 | 1,190 |
| Idaho | $102,180 | $144,900 | $164,050 | 1,790 |
| Illinois | $98,970 | $139,080 | $169,430 | 12,070 |
| Indiana | $107,050 | $144,290 | $169,360 | 6,430 |
| Iowa | $117,450 | $138,860 | $164,520 | 3,230 |
| Kansas | $78,770 | $137,800 | $169,310 | 3,500 |
| Kentucky | $84,280 | $136,530 | $168,940 | 5,030 |
| Louisiana | $100,920 | $132,410 | $156,740 | 5,610 |
| Maine | $101,360 | $140,930 | $166,810 | 1,380 |
| Maryland | $115,860 | $138,990 | $169,890 | 5,400 |
| Massachusetts | $113,710 | $138,170 | $164,500 | 7,230 |
| Michigan | $101,740 | $137,860 | $168,540 | 8,780 |
| Minnesota | $98,150 | $159,740 | $174,660 | 6,310 |
| Mississippi | $97,260 | $133,230 | $158,230 | 3,050 |
| Missouri | $107,530 | $137,610 | $166,840 | 6,740 |
| Montana | $98,660 | $142,080 | $165,260 | 1,190 |
| Nebraska | $84,990 | $139,330 | $170,090 | 2,450 |
| Nevada | $104,000 | $140,030 | $168,600 | 2,500 |
| New Hampshire | $98,870 | $143,020 | $170,030 | 1,130 |
| New Jersey | $112,560 | $137,620 | $172,110 | 9,420 |
| New Mexico | $103,500 | $147,000 | $174,200 | 1,730 |
| New York | $92,910 | $142,090 | $174,550 | 19,760 |
| North Carolina | $101,670 | $138,860 | $169,820 | 11,430 |
| North Dakota | $105,490 | $142,040 | $167,940 | 1,070 |
| Ohio | $65,470 | $137,020 | $165,900 | 12,790 |
| Oklahoma | $100,320 | $135,140 | $162,070 | 3,610 |
| Oregon | $126,040 | $165,960 | $193,860 | 3,250 |
| Pennsylvania | $112,750 | $138,160 | $163,570 | 14,090 |
| Rhode Island | $86,650 | $128,180 | $161,090 | 1,510 |
| South Carolina | $82,430 | $135,700 | $170,270 | 5,320 |
| South Dakota | $112,200 | $146,790 | $166,340 | 1,280 |
| Tennessee | $88,700 | $133,390 | $164,430 | 8,250 |
| Texas | $95,950 | $138,260 | $170,170 | 24,700 |
| Utah | $70,260 | $144,240 | $172,440 | 2,830 |
| Vermont | $117,860 | $136,270 | $164,370 | 530 |
| Virginia | $106,800 | $144,060 | $173,550 | 7,980 |
| Washington | $126,230 | $160,610 | $205,210 | 7,350 |
| West Virginia | $80,900 | $133,430 | $166,020 | 2,260 |
| Wisconsin | $112,020 | $148,740 | $178,090 | 5,730 |
| Wyoming | $115,820 | $139,550 | $168,450 | 510 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. “Not released” means BLS suppressed the estimate, usually because the state sample was too small — this page shows that rather than guessing.
Highest-paying metro areas for pharmacists
| Metro area | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $200,580 | $217,420 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $199,040 | $234,080 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $177,410 | $229,220 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $173,340 | $192,590 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $172,860 | $202,810 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $172,680 | $213,820 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $172,630 | $210,310 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $171,900 | $205,230 |
| Vallejo, CA | $170,870 | $211,690 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $170,570 | $218,160 |
Top 10 of the 393 metro areas BLS publishes. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average pharmacist salary?
The median pharmacist salary in the United States is $140,910 a year as of May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of pharmacists earn more than that and half earn less. The 10th percentile is $99,290 and the 90th percentile is $174,230.
Which state pays pharmacists the most?
Alaska, with a median of $167,310. The lowest of the states BLS publishes is Rhode Island at $128,180, a gap of $39,130. Higher-paying states also tend to have higher housing costs, so compare take-home pay and rent rather than the headline figure alone.
How much do pharmacists make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $67.75 as of May 2025.
Is this data self-reported?
No. These figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, which collects wage data from employers rather than from workers submitting their own salaries. It is public-domain federal data.