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Pharmacists Salary by State

There were an estimated 328,870 pharmacists working in the United States in May 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey. The typical (median) pharmacist earned $137,480 a year, or $66.10 an hour, while the mean annual wage was $137,210. Pay spans a wide range even inside the same occupation: the lowest-paid 10% of pharmacists earned $86,930 or less, the bottom quarter earned $127,250 or less, the top quarter earned at least $158,620, and the top 10% earned at least $172,040. Where a pharmacist works matters almost as much as the job itself, as the state table below shows.

Where pharmacists earn the most — and least

The highest median pay for pharmacists is in California, at $165,150 a year — 20.1% higher than the national median of $137,480. Next are Alaska at $163,200 and Oregon at $163,120. At the other end, Rhode Island posts the lowest published median, $128,010, which is 6.9% lower than the national figure. That is a top-to-bottom spread of about 1.3 times between the highest- and lowest-paying states for the same occupation — a gap driven by local labor markets, licensing, employer mix, and cost of living rather than by differences in the job title itself.

Where the pharmacist jobs are

Employment is concentrated in a handful of large states. California alone employs 34,490 pharmacists, and the three largest states — California, Texas, and New York — together account for 24% of all U.S. jobs in this occupation. Pay in the largest market, California, runs at a median of $165,150, 20.1% higher than the national median, so the biggest job market is also one of the better-paying ones. Smaller states can still be attractive: several low-population states post medians close to the national figure with far less competition for each opening.

Pharmacist salary by state — full table

Median and mean annual wages for pharmacists in every state where BLS publishes an estimate for May 2024, ranked by median pay. The 90th-percentile column shows what the top-earning tenth of pharmacists in each state make. Follow a state link for that state's full wage tables, or open a detailed guide where one is available.

Pharmacist wages in U.S. territories

How to read these numbers

The median is the middle wage: half of pharmacists earn more and half earn less. The mean is pulled up by the highest earners, which is why the mean of $137,210 sits below the median of $137,480 for this occupation. OEWS wages are gross pay before taxes and benefits, and BLS converts hourly rates to annual figures on a 2,080-hour, year-round full-time basis; part-time and seasonal workers' actual annual earnings can be lower. Figures marked with a plus sign are at or above the BLS reporting cap of $239,200 a year ($115.00 an hour).

Pharmacist salary FAQ

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.