What is the Salary of a Pharmacist?

Your friendly neighborhood pharmacists do more that just push pills around, and pharmacist salaries typically reflect the high level of responsibility faced on the job. Pharmacists keep a watchful eye on patient medications, to help prevent harmful drug interactions; make sure correct dosage and possible side effects are adequately explained; provide counsel on possible generic versions of more expensive drugs; and much more. Becoming a pharmacist requires a great deal of specialized training--all pharmacists in the United States graduating from college after 1998 are required to have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in order to be certified. Before putting their noses to the grindstone in grad school, many pharmacists-to-be want to know: what is the salary of a pharmacist? Researching pharmacist salaries based on location, experience and other factors can provide the answer.

Pharmacist Average Salary

Pharmacist salaries, like so many other things, are bigger out West. The Salary of a Pharmacist by City chart above highlights the differences in pharmacist salaries across various cities. It shows that Houston is one of the top cities for high pharmacist salaries, but Los Angeles offers the highest pharmacist average salary. It's not surprising, then, that the Pharmacist Average Salary by State chart lists California as offering higher pharmacist average salary than states to the east. Of course, California might offer higher pharmacist salaries, but the state is also known for having a high cost of living. Before you pack up your mortar and pestle and head west, use PayScale's cost of living calculator to research both Pharmacist Salaries and Cost of Living Data for Los Angeles and other cities. If you're wondering, "What is the salary of a pharmacist in my hometown?" you can use the calculator to get a cost of living comparison between cities.

Keep in mind that pharmacist salaries are affected by more than just location. Researching the Pharmacist Salaries by Years Experience chart will give fledgling pharmacists an idea of what pharmacist salaries will be like fresh out of graduate school. Some common salary questions include, "What is the salary of a pharmacist from my alma mater?" and "What is the salary of a pharmacist in different employment settings?" Check out Pharmacist Salaries by School Name to find out how your school stacks up. And be sure to view Salary of a Pharmacist by Employer Name to scout out potential employers - it may surprise you to see which employers offer the highest pharmacist salaries.

Beyond Pharmacist Salaries

"What is the salary of a pharmacist" can be easily answered with PayScale's data on pharmacist salaries, but what is a pharmacy career actually like? For the real-world story of one Philadelphia pharmacist, and an insider's view on pharmacist salaries, read the Salary Stories article, "Pharmacist Salary: The Right Career Prescription."