Pharmacist Hourly Pay, Skills & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 28,524 US job postings by 1,171 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for pharmacists: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 28,524 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for pharmacists in US job postings is $68.00 an hour (10,288 postings from 315 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $60.90 to $75.41 an hour.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $69.40 an hour (6,505 postings).
- The skills that most set pharmacist postings apart are patient counseling, medication therapy management, medication reconciliation.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 2 years of experience.
Pharmacist job postings in the US, October 2026
- $68.00/hr
- Median advertised pay (10,288 postings)
- $60.90–$75.41
- Middle 50% of postings
- $69.40/hr
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 28,524
- US job postings from 1,171 employers
How much does a pharmacist make an hour?
The median advertised pay is $68.00 an hour, from 10,288 US job postings by 315 employers that state pay. That is about $141,000 a year at 2,080 hours.
Advertised pay in 10,288 US pharmacist job postings: median $141,000 a year ($68.00 an hour), middle half $127,000 to $158,000.
- Median: $141,000 ($68.00/hr)
- 25th percentile: $127,000
- 75th percentile: $158,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $10K–$20K | 0.1% |
| $30K–$40K | 0.6% |
| $40K–$50K | 3.4% |
| $50K–$60K | 1.7% |
| $60K–$70K | 1.0% |
| $70K–$80K | 1.3% |
| $80K–$90K | 0.6% |
| $90K–$100K | 0.4% |
| $100K–$110K | 3.3% |
| $110K–$120K | 5.9% |
| $120K–$130K | 11.3% |
| $130K–$140K | 15.7% |
| $140K–$150K | 17.8% |
| $150K–$160K | 13.7% |
| $160K–$170K | 7.8% |
| $170K–$180K | 5.1% |
| $180K–$190K | 3.0% |
| $190K–$200K | 1.4% |
| $200K–$210K | 1.7% |
| $210K–$220K | 2.3% |
| $220K–$230K | 0.4% |
| $230K–$240K | 0.2% |
| $240K–$250K | 0.8% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | Most common titles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $68.00 | $60.90–$75.41 | 823 | Pharmacist, Clinical Pharmacist, Staff Pharmacist |
| Postings that state an annual salary | $143,000 | $128K–$158K | 499 | Pharmacist, Clinical Pharmacist, Pharmacy Manager |
| All pay postings, annualised | $141,000 | $127K–$158K | 10,288 | – |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Pharmacists (29-1051) at $141,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for a pharmacist?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $69.40 an hour (6,505 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $69.40/hr | 6,505 |
| 2-4 years | $70.04/hr | 404 |
| 5+ years | withheld | 56 |
Highest-paying pharmacist jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy Manager | $74.52/hr | 1,211 | 97 |
| Clinical Pharmacist | $69.85/hr | 492 | 140 |
| Pharmacist (general) | $67.31/hr | 4,996 | 199 |
| Pharmacy Intern | $25.63/hr | 3,528 | 35 |
Pharmacist pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $77.66/hr | $67.50–$101.72 | 298 | 4.5% |
| Colorado | $71.60/hr | $64.90–$73.43 | 170 | 1.5% |
| Connecticut | $71.60/hr | $66.71–$74.52 | 115 | 1.1% |
| Michigan | $70.02/hr | $64.90–$71.60 | 109 | 1.8% |
| Washington | $70.00/hr | $64.90–$72.08 | 109 | 1.7% |
| Kentucky | $68.83/hr | $64.90–$71.60 | 104 | 1.4% |
| Wisconsin | $67.50/hr | $64.90–$74.28 | 145 | 1.9% |
| Arizona | $67.45/hr | $61.75–$74.50 | 189 | 30.8% |
| Florida | $67.36/hr | $59.28–$72.92 | 360 | 4.0% |
| Illinois | $66.91/hr | $64.54–$70.92 | 293 | 2.5% |
| New York | $66.58/hr | $61.36–$74.64 | 382 | 3.9% |
| Massachusetts | $65.99/hr | $61.54–$71.60 | 184 | 1.6% |
| New Jersey | $65.50/hr | $52.00–$71.60 | 193 | 2.2% |
| Minnesota | $64.91/hr | $61.50–$71.60 | 153 | 1.6% |
| Iowa | $64.91/hr | $64.10–$71.60 | 131 | 1.2% |
| Texas | $64.90/hr | $61.20–$70.09 | 374 | 4.2% |
| Ohio | $64.90/hr | $48.99–$67.50 | 183 | 2.9% |
| North Carolina | $64.90/hr | $49.20–$71.60 | 287 | 2.7% |
| Georgia | $64.90/hr | $61.45–$71.45 | 104 | 2.4% |
| Tennessee | $64.90/hr | $61.50–$71.30 | 175 | 2.0% |
| Virginia | $64.90/hr | $55.12–$71.60 | 176 | 1.8% |
| Indiana | $64.90/hr | $39.40–$71.60 | 126 | 1.6% |
| Louisiana | $64.90/hr | $39.67–$71.90 | 104 | 1.1% |
Skills employers ask for in pharmacist job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Communication | 28% |
| Interpersonal skills | 12% |
| Attention to detail | 12% |
| Customer service | 11% |
| Organizational skills | 10% |
| Problem-solving | 9% |
| Excel | 8% |
| Leadership | 7% |
| Work independently | 6% |
| Word | 5% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Have a pharmacist job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does a pharmacist do?
Employers post these jobs as Clinical Pharmacist, Staff Pharmacist, Pharmacy Manager, Pharmacy Intern, Pharmacist in Charge and other titles. The largest specializations are Clinical Pharmacist (9%), Pharmacy Manager (13%), Pharmacy Intern (25%).
The closest official occupation is Pharmacists (29-1051.00). Its most important tasks:
- Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability.
- Collaborate with other health care professionals to plan, monitor, review, or evaluate the quality or effectiveness of drugs or drug regimens, providing advice on drug applications or characteristics.
- Work in hospitals or clinics or for Health Management Organizations (HMOs), dispensing prescriptions, serving as a medical team consultant, or specializing in specific drug therapy areas, such as oncology or nuclear pharmacotherapy.
- Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage.
- Provide specialized services to help patients manage conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be a pharmacist?
Among 2,074 postings that state a minimum, the median is 2 years. 2% say 0 years and 46% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 2,074 US pharmacist job postings: median 2 years, and 46% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | 3% |
| 1 yr | 43% |
| 2 yrs | 24% |
| 3-4 yrs | 22% |
| 5-7 yrs | 7% |
| 8-9 yrs | under 1% |
| 10+ yrs | under 1% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 81%, Part-time 19% of the 906 postings that state working hours.
Other names for a pharmacist: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Pharmacist | 636 (54.3%) |
| Clinical Pharmacist | 257 (21.9%) |
| Staff Pharmacist | 161 (13.8%) |
| Pharmacy Manager | 104 (8.9%) |
| Pharmacy Intern | 98 (8.4%) |
| Pharmacist in Charge | 73 (6.2%) |
| Clinical Pharmacy Specialist | 66 (5.6%) |
| Retail Pharmacist | 49 (4.2%) |
| Clinical Staff Pharmacist | 40 (3.4%) |
| Pharmacist PRN | 40 (3.4%) |
| Director of Pharmacy | 38 (3.2%) |
| Inpatient Pharmacist | 36 (3.1%) |
| Pharmacy Supervisor | 35 (3.0%) |
| Clinical Pharmacist Specialist | 30 (2.6%) |
| PRN Pharmacist | 27 (2.3%) |
| Pharmacist Intern | 26 (2.2%) |
| Per Diem Pharmacist | 23 (2.0%) |
| Pharmacist I | 17 (1.5%) |
| Manager Pharmacy | 16 (1.4%) |
| Clinical Pharmacy Manager | 15 (1.3%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Pharmacist job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Pharmacist | 1,033 | 257 | – | 2 years | communication, problem-solving, work independently |
| Pharmacy Intern | 6,318 | 98 | $23.00/hr | – | communication, interpersonal skills, attention to detail |
Pharmacist vs Clinical Pharmacist
| Pharmacist | Clinical Pharmacist | |
|---|---|---|
| Open US postings | 10,356 | 1,033 |
| Employers | 636 | 257 |
| Median advertised pay | $68.00/hr | – |
| Median experience asked | 1 year | 2 years |
| Skills that stand out | interpersonal skills, attention to detail, work independently | work independently, teamwork |
Pharmacist compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacist | $68.00/hr | 2 years | 28,524 | – |
| Nurse Practitioner | $142K | 2 years | 21,109 | 17 |
| Pharmacy Technician | $23.66/hr | 1 year | 23,772 | 17 |
| Physician Assistant | $150K | 2 years | 2,412 | 14 |
| Physician | $312K | 2 years | 26,725 | 16 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioner | 17 | $142K |
| Pharmacy Technician | 17 | $23.66/hr |
| Physician Assistant | 14 | $150K |
| Physician | 16 | $312K |
| Healthcare Administrator | 18 | $100K |
| Dietitian | 16 | $39.00/hr |
Applying for pharmacist jobs?
- Pharmacist resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find pharmacist jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pharmacist make an hour?
What is the starting salary for a pharmacist?
What are the highest-paying pharmacist jobs?
How much does a Pharmacy Intern make?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 20 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 20 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.