How Much Do Pharmacists Make in Each State?

Across the country, pharmacists tend to be paid pretty well.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), pharmacists in the United States earned a median salary of $111,570 in 2010—the most recent year for which these statistics are available.

However, pharmacist salaries can widely vary from state to state. Depending on where you accept a pharmacist job, you can expect to make anywhere between $82,000 and $135,000 or more.

Demand for pharmacists and cost of living are the biggest factors influencing salaries by state. Pharmacists in California, Massachusetts, and New York can expect to earn a higher salary because of higher costs of living, such as rent, utilities, food, and transportation. Lower costs of living tend to lead to lower salaries, which is why pharmacists in South Dakota, for example, can expect to earn less.

Here is a breakdown of the average annual salary for pharmacists in each state and US territory, according to a website that analyzes salary data from BLS and job-posting websites:

US State

Average Annual Pharmacist Salary

Alabama

$117,000

Alaska

$97,000

American Samoa

$124,000

Arizona

$101,000

Arkansas

$113,000

California

$126,000

Colorado

$101,000

Connecticut

$124,000

Delaware

$107,000

Florida

$109,000

Georgia

$125,000

Guam

$97,000

Hawaii

$82,000

Idaho

$95,000

Illinois

$121,000

Indiana

$115,000

Iowa

$107,000

Kansas

$105,000

Kentucky

$100,000

Louisiana

$96,000

Maine

$102,000

Maryland

$115,000

Massachusetts

$131,000

Michigan

$112,000

Minnesota

$104,000

Mississippi

$134,000

Missouri

$114,000

Montana

$116,000

Nebraska

$93,000

Nevada

$106,000

New Hampshire

$113,000

New Jersey

$121,000

New Mexico

$103,000

New York

$135,000

North Carolina

$114,000

North Dakota

$108,000

Ohio

$108,000

Oklahoma

$105,000

Oregon

$108,000

Pennsylvania

$101,000

Puerto Rico

$117,000

Rhode Island

$115,000

South Carolina

$104,000

South Dakota

$89,000

Tennessee

$109,000

Texas

$109,000

Utah

$101,000

Vermont

$108,000

Virgin Islands

$132,000

Virginia

$115,000

Washington

$109,000

Washington, D.C.

$131,000

West Virginia

$114,000

Wisconsin

$101,000

Wyoming

$106,000

Source: salarybystate.org

Based on this list, pharmacists in New York can expect to earn the highest salary, at $135,000 a year. Meanwhile, pharmacists in Hawaii can expect to earn the lowest salary, at $82,000 a year. Pharmacy positions in other states typically pay $100,000 or more annually.

The specific city where the pharmacist job is located may also play a role in determining salary. For instance, a pharmacist in New York City could expect to earn significantly more than a pharmacist in a city in upstate New York, such as Syracuse or Buffalo.

Before you accept a pharmacy job in a new state, be sure to research the cost of living relative to the salary you are being offered. You should also consider factors such as transportation, availability of housing, commute time, and demand for pharmacists.

Happy job hunting!