You are here:
Pharmacy Outcomes & Career Options
Outcomes & Career Options
Pharmacists play a vital role in healthcare, working in hospitals, clinics, community pharmacies, and research institutions. Beyond dispensing medications, they ensure patient safety, provide counseling, and collaborate with healthcare teams to optimize treatment. Pharmacists can specialize in areas such as geriatric care, nuclear pharmacy, and sterile compounding. They contribute to public health through immunization programs, chronic disease management, and addressing medication safety concerns. Some work in policy development, academia, pharmaceutical research, or government agencies like the FDA and VA. With the rise of telehealth, pharmacists are increasingly involved in remote patient care and digital health solutions.
Educational Qualifications
To obtain a license to practice pharmacy, students must complete a bachelor’s degree and enroll in an accredited pharmacy school, pass the state board exam and complete an internship under a registered pharmacist.
Job Outlook
3% Job Market Growth
$136,030 Median Salary
The median annual wage for pharmacists was $136,030 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $89,980, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $168,650.
In May 2023, the median annual wages for pharmacists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
- Ambulatory healthcare services $150,110
- Hospitals; state, local, and private $144,460
- General merchandise retailers $141,880
- Pharmacies and drug retailers $131,290
Partial information in this page was retrieved from Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Pharmacists, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacists.htm (visited April 17, 2024).