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: Apothecary, Clinical Pharmacist, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS), Community Pharmacist, Druggist, Floater Pharmacist
Median pay
$140,910
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$99,290 – $174,230
People employed
321,970
Holland code
ISC
Investigative · Social · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 2.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 3.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 4.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 5.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 6.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 7.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
The hard parts
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
- Tight deadlines are common
- Exposure to disease or infection
Pharmacists pay by state
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What pharmacists do
- 01Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability.
- 02Collaborate 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.
- 03Work in hospitals or clinics or for Health Management Organizations (HMOs), dispensing prescriptions, serving as a medical team consultant, or specializing in specific drug therapy areas, such as oncology or nuclear pharmacotherapy.
- 04Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage.
- 05Provide specialized services to help patients manage conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure.
- 06Analyze prescribing trends to monitor patient compliance and to prevent excessive usage or harmful interactions.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Biology
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from pharmacists
- Clinical Research Coordinators73% · group pay
- Medical Dosimetrists70% · +5%
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary68% · −24%
- Genetic Counselors68% · −29%
- Clinical Data Managers66% · group pay
Majors that lead here
- Pharmacy
- Clinical, Hospital, and Managed Care Pharmacy
- Pharmacy Residency/Fellowship Program, General
- Combined Pharmacy Residency/Fellowship Program
- Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Residency/Fellowship Program
- Cardiology Pharmacy Residency/Fellowship Program
- Clinical Pharmacogenomics Pharmacy Residency/Fellowship Program
- Community/Community-Based Pharmacy Residency/Fellowship Program
- Corporate Pharmacy Leadership Residency/Fellowship Program
- Critical Care Pharmacy Residency/Fellowship Program
- Drug Information Pharmacy Residency/Fellowship Program
- Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency/Fellowship Program
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.