Pharmacists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for pharmacists is $140,910, or $67.75 per hour. About 321,970 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $167,310 in Alaska to $128,180 in Rhode Island.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $167,310 | $80.44 | 560 | 0.84 |
| 2 | Oregon | $165,960 | $79.79 | 3,250 | 0.80 |
| 3 | California | $164,610 | $79.14 | 34,030 | 0.90 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $163,220 | $78.47 | 1,190 | 0.91 |
| 5 | Washington | $160,610 | $77.22 | 7,350 | 1.00 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $159,740 | $76.80 | 6,310 | 1.03 |
| 7 | Colorado | $156,030 | $75.01 | 4,560 | 0.77 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $153,400 | $73.75 | 850 | 0.58 |
| 9 | Delaware | $152,880 | $73.50 | 790 | 0.79 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $148,740 | $71.51 | 5,730 | 0.94 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $147,000 | $70.67 | 1,730 | 0.96 |
| 12 | Arizona | $146,930 | $70.64 | 6,900 | 1.03 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $146,790 | $70.57 | 1,280 | 1.36 |
| 14 | Idaho | $144,900 | $69.66 | 1,790 | 1.01 |
| 15 | Indiana | $144,290 | $69.37 | 6,430 | 0.97 |
| 16 | Utah | $144,240 | $69.34 | 2,830 | 0.79 |
| 17 | Virginia | $144,060 | $69.26 | 7,980 | 0.94 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $143,020 | $68.76 | 1,130 | 0.80 |
| 19 | New York | $142,090 | $68.31 | 19,760 | 0.98 |
| 20 | Montana | $142,080 | $68.31 | 1,190 | 1.12 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $142,040 | $68.29 | 1,070 | 1.20 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $141,290 | $67.93 | 3,490 | 0.99 |
| 23 | Maine | $140,930 | $67.75 | 1,380 | 1.04 |
| 24 | Nevada | $140,030 | $67.32 | 2,500 | 0.78 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $139,550 | $67.09 | 510 | 0.89 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $139,330 | $66.99 | 2,450 | 1.16 |
| 27 | Illinois | $139,080 | $66.86 | 12,070 | 0.96 |
| 28 | Maryland | $138,990 | $66.82 | 5,400 | 0.94 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $138,860 | $66.76 | 11,430 | 1.12 |
| 30 | Iowa | $138,860 | $66.76 | 3,230 | 1.00 |
| 31 | Texas | $138,260 | $66.47 | 24,700 | 0.85 |
| 32 | Massachusetts | $138,170 | $66.43 | 7,230 | 0.96 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $138,160 | $66.42 | 14,090 | 1.12 |
| 34 | Michigan | $137,860 | $66.28 | 8,780 | 0.96 |
| 35 | Kansas | $137,800 | $66.25 | 3,500 | 1.18 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $137,620 | $66.16 | 9,420 | 1.06 |
| 37 | Missouri | $137,610 | $66.16 | 6,740 | 1.11 |
| 38 | Georgia | $137,120 | $65.92 | 10,530 | 1.04 |
| 39 | Ohio | $137,020 | $65.87 | 12,790 | 1.11 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $136,530 | $65.64 | 5,030 | 1.21 |
| 41 | Vermont | $136,270 | $65.52 | 530 | 0.85 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $136,060 | $65.41 | 2,900 | 1.07 |
| 43 | Florida | $135,970 | $65.37 | 21,540 | 1.05 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $135,700 | $65.24 | 5,320 | 1.12 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $135,140 | $64.97 | 3,610 | 1.02 |
| 46 | Alabama | $134,630 | $64.72 | 5,400 | 1.23 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $133,430 | $64.15 | 2,260 | 1.56 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $133,390 | $64.13 | 8,250 | 1.22 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $133,230 | $64.05 | 3,050 | 1.27 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $132,410 | $63.66 | 5,610 | 1.40 |
| 51 | Rhode Island | $128,180 | $61.63 | 1,510 | 1.45 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do pharmacists make?
The median annual wage for pharmacists in the United States is $140,910, or $67.75 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $99,290, and the top 10% earn $174,230.
How many pharmacists are employed in the U.S.?
About 321,970 people work as pharmacists nationwide.
Which state pays pharmacists the most?
Alaska pays the most at a median of $167,310, followed by Oregon ($165,960) and California ($164,610).
Which state pays pharmacists the least?
Rhode Island has the lowest median at $128,180.
Where are pharmacists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is West Virginia at 1.56×.