Pharmacists mix, package and sell medications that have been prescribed by a licensed medical professionals. Pharmacy managers oversee the activities of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and make sure that pharmacies and drug stores run smoothly. Pharmacists are required to have a doctorate degree in pharmacy before they can practice; pharmacy managers should have at least a bachelor's or master's in pharmacy.
National and Local Pharmacist Pay
As of 2012, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that pharmacists earned an average salary of $114,950 per year. Pharmacists in Alaska reported the highest average salary in the United States, at $129,170 per year. Maine ranked second, at $128,030 per year, followed by California at $125,800, Vermont at $125,520 and Delaware at $121,830. Pharmacists working in Nebraska reported the lowest average salary in the country, with an average annual paycheck of $100,830.
Pharmacist Pay by Employment Setting
Most pharmacists work in drug stores or other personal care stores, and earned an average salary of $116,980 as of 2012. Those who worked in hospital pharmacies earned slightly less, with an average salary of $113,180 per year, while pharmacists employed in physicians' offices reported an average annual salary of $120,310. Pharmacists working in grocery stores reported an average salary of $111,040 per year, while those employed by department stores brought home an average of $113,290.
National and Regional Pharmacy Manager Pay
As of 2013, industry website PharmacyWeek.com reported that pharmacy managers working in the United States earned an average salary of $136,900 per year. Those in the West reported the highest average salary, at $146,400, followed by pharmacy managers in the South Central states, who averaged $133,100 per year. Pharmacy managers in other regions of the country reported average annual salaries ranging between $128,000 and $130,000.
Pharmacy Manager Pay by Employment Setting
According to PharmacyWeek.com, pharmacy managers working in hospitals and other healthcare facilities earned the highest average pay by employment setting, at $139,600 per year. Those who worked for drug stores and grocery stores both reported an average salary of $128,900 per year. As of 2013, pharmacy managers working for mass merchandisers and department stores reported the lowest average salary by employment setting, at $123,400 per year.
2016 Salary Information for Pharmacists
Pharmacists earned a median annual salary of $122,230 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, pharmacists earned a 25th percentile salary of $109,400, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $138,920, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 312,500 people were employed in the U.S. as pharmacists.