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.
Also called: Clinical Pharmacist · Hospital Pharmacist · Informatics Pharmacist · Pharm D (Pharmacy Doctor) · Pharmacist in Charge (PIC) · Pharmacy Coordinator
Median pay (national)
$137,480
$86,930–$172,040 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
328,870
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+4.6%
~14,200 openings/yr
Typical entry
Doctoral or professional degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for pharmacists shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $172,040 versus $86,930 at the bottom 10% — 2.0x. The median of $137,480 leaves roughly 25% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +4.6% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 14,200 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, California pays the most for this role (median $165,150, +20% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $107,100 — a 54% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Science
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Assess the identity, strength, or purity of medications.
- Analyze prescribing trends to monitor patient compliance and to prevent excessive usage or harmful interactions.
- Maintain records, such as pharmacy files, patient profiles, charge system files, inventories, control records for radioactive nuclei, or registries of poisons, narcotics, or controlled drugs.
- Collaborate with other health care professionals to plan, monitor, review, or evaluate the quality or effectiveness of drugs or drug regimens, providing advice on drug applications or characteristics.
- Order and purchase pharmaceutical supplies, medical supplies, or drugs, maintaining stock and storing and handling it properly.
- Contact insurance companies to resolve billing issues.
- Provide specialized services to help patients manage conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure.
- Refer patients to other health professionals or agencies when appropriate.
- Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability.
- Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage.
Tools & technology
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Epic Systems
- MEDITECH software
- Computer records systems
- Freedom MedTEACH
- Healthprolink MedAtlas
- Insurance claim processing software
- Label-making software
- Multitask software
- Pyxis MedStation software
- Recordkeeping software
- RxKinetics UD Labels for Windows
- TPNassist
- TTP LabTech comPOUND
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Excel
Knowledge areas
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Psychology
- Computers and Electronics