Pharmacists
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
Pharmacists: Dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. May advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of medications.
Pharmacists held about 230,000 jobs in 2004. About 61 percent work in community pharmacies that are either independently owned or part of a drugstore chain, grocery store, department store, or mass merchandiser. Most community pharmacists are salaried employees, but some are self-employed owners. About 24 percent of salaried pharmacists work in hospitals. Others work in clinics, mail-order pharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesalers, home health care agencies, or the Federal Government.
Median annual wage and salary earnings of pharmacists in May 2004 were $84,900. The middle 50 percent earned between $75,720 and $94,850 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $61,200, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $109,850 a year. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of pharmacists in May 2004 were:
| Department stores | $86,720 |
| Grocery stores | 85,680 |
| Health and personal care stores | 85,380 |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 84,560 |
| Other general merchandise stores | 84,170 |
(from the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Pharmacists)
See more recent statistics for employed workers below.
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
National Occupational Employment and Earnings by Industry (NAICS sector and 3-digit industry group)
| Pharmacists | |||||
| Percentile earnings distribution | |||||
| 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | |
| Manufacturing employment: 330 mean earnings: $90,020 (EC) (def) (IG) | $65,580 | $78,710 | $92,110 | $105,660 | $114,450 |
| Chemical Manufacturing employment: 290 mean earnings: $90,890 | $67,650 | $79,630 | $92,700 | $105,950 | $114,440 |
| Wholesale Trade employment: 5,080 mean earnings: $87,460 (EC) (def) (IG) | $67,800 | $78,540 | $88,060 | $100,650 | $112,110 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods employment: 600 mean earnings: $92,920 | $72,700 | $82,930 | $96,870 | $108,270 | $115,140 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods employment: 3,970 mean earnings: $87,070 | $66,530 | $78,310 | $87,640 | $99,630 | $111,770 |
| Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers employment: 520 mean earnings: $84,110 | $72,410 | $77,620 | $84,870 | $92,320 | $106,920 |
| Retail Trade employment: 146,950 mean earnings: $89,640 (EC) (def) (IG) | $63,400 | $78,770 | $91,000 | $104,560 | $113,860 |
| Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers employment: n.a. mean earnings: $73,070 | $37,460 | $61,550 | $78,650 | $90,400 | $104,970 |
| Food and Beverage Stores employment: 18,770 mean earnings: $88,290 | $67,750 | $80,010 | $90,820 | $103,110 | $112,470 |
| Health and Personal Care Stores employment: 103,230 mean earnings: $90,620 | $63,910 | $78,290 | $90,880 | $105,050 | $114,460 |
| General Merchandise Stores employment: 22,030 mean earnings: $87,130 | $50,870 | $80,370 | $92,790 | $104,520 | $112,830 |
| Nonstore Retailers employment: 2,820 mean earnings: $82,450 | $62,240 | $76,160 | $84,220 | $92,820 | $107,750 |
| Transportation and Warehousing employment: 230 mean earnings: $91,650 (EC) (def) (IG) | $66,460 | $81,630 | $95,070 | $108,150 | $116,090 |
| Warehousing and Storage employment: 230 mean earnings: $91,840 | $66,760 | $81,900 | $95,350 | $108,310 | $116,160 |
| Information employment: 40 mean earnings: $90,030 (EC) (def) (IG) | $73,650 | $80,350 | $91,250 | $105,170 | $113,650 |
| Internet Service Providers, Web Search Portals, and Data Processing Service employment: 30 mean earnings: $92,310 | $74,810 | $81,770 | $93,740 | $106,870 | $114,520 |
| Finance and Insurance employment: 1,190 mean earnings: $89,010 (EC) (def) (IG) | $70,040 | $79,660 | $90,610 | $104,310 | $113,440 |
| Insurance Carriers and Related Activities employment: 1,140 mean earnings: $88,550 | $69,580 | $79,400 | $90,090 | $103,900 | $113,310 |
| Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles employment: 50 mean earnings: $99,480 | $78,150 | $92,210 | $100,600 | $109,710 | $115,170 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing employment: 270 mean earnings: $87,220 (EC) (def) (IG) | $66,990 | $78,580 | $87,550 | $99,760 | $113,640 |
| Rental and Leasing Services employment: 260 mean earnings: $87,420 | $66,910 | $78,680 | $87,780 | $100,090 | $113,760 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment: 590 mean earnings: $98,160 (EC) (def) (IG) | $66,890 | $77,760 | $87,030 | $105,520 | >$145K |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment: 590 mean earnings: $98,160 | $66,890 | $77,760 | $87,030 | $105,520 | >$145K |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises employment: 850 mean earnings: $93,490 (EC) (def) (IG) | $75,300 | $83,310 | $94,680 | $106,970 | $114,830 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises employment: 850 mean earnings: $93,490 | $75,300 | $83,310 | $94,680 | $106,970 | $114,830 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services employment: 3,870 mean earnings: $89,050 (EC) (def) (IG) | $54,750 | $80,080 | $93,460 | $105,050 | $112,420 |
| Administrative and Support Services employment: n.a. mean earnings: $89,050 | $54,750 | $80,080 | $93,460 | $105,050 | $112,420 |
| Educational Services employment: 1,180 mean earnings: $79,850 (EC) (def) (IG) | $55,170 | $72,670 | $82,560 | $91,600 | $105,490 |
| Educational Services employment: 1,180 mean earnings: $79,850 | $55,170 | $72,670 | $82,560 | $91,600 | $105,490 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance employment: 61,370 mean earnings: $87,070 (EC) (def) (IG) | $67,410 | $78,760 | $88,210 | $100,220 | $112,300 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services employment: 6,390 mean earnings: $88,380 | $66,830 | $78,730 | $89,600 | $103,080 | $112,860 |
| Hospitals employment: 54,260 mean earnings: $86,960 | $67,610 | $78,810 | $88,120 | $99,870 | $112,250 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities employment: 650 mean earnings: $83,630 | $60,510 | $75,140 | $84,900 | $95,310 | $110,550 |
| Social Assistance employment: 70 mean earnings: $79,880 | $69,740 | $74,660 | $80,750 | $86,800 | $90,430 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) employment: 130 mean earnings: $84,120 (EC) (def) (IG) | $73,230 | $77,470 | $83,880 | $90,280 | $103,800 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations employment: 130 mean earnings: $84,160 | $73,320 | $77,490 | $83,790 | $90,100 | $102,570 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 7,650 mean earnings: $83,120 (def) (IG) | $58,630 | $75,040 | $85,150 | $97,950 | $109,140 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 7,650 mean earnings: $83,120 | $58,630 | $75,040 | $85,150 | $97,950 | $109,140 |
source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates
The (EC) links lead to data from the Economic Census from the Census Bureau.
The (def) links lead to 2002 NAICS industry definitions from the Census Bureau.
The (IG) links lead to Industry at a Glance industry profiles from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.