Pay, location & work-life context
Pharmacist Salary Map by State (2026)
Median pharmacist pay across 49 states from real job listings — switch views to adjust for cost of living or overlay burnout scores. Medians blend permanent salaries with annualized locums/contract rates. National median: $141,440.
Highest median
Washington
$163,572
Best real purchasing power
Iowa
$169,458 adjusted
Best lifestyle score
Alaska
4.9/10 avg burnout score
Compare state markets
Choose a metric, then select a state to see its figures and available breakdown.
Tile positions are approximate, not geographic boundaries. Selection adds an outline without changing the metric color. Work-life scores describe listings, not surveyed clinician burnout.
Pharmacist pay by state
Sorted by median advertised pay. On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to compare all metrics.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Take-home, COL-adj. | Work-life score | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $163,572 | $152,852 | $152,852 | 4.2/10 | 138 |
| Delaware | $157,500 | $157,803 | $147,388 | 3.7/10 | 30 |
| Alaska | $157,217 | $153,594 | $153,594 | 4.9/10 | 21 |
| California | $155,636 | $140,567 | $127,494 | 4.1/10 | 452 |
| Wisconsin | $148,928 | $158,274 | $149,886 | 4.1/10 | 81 |
| Tennessee | $148,928 | $162,107 | $162,107 | 3.6/10 | 63 |
| Oregon | $148,928 | $144,085 | $129,821 | 4.2/10 | 77 |
| Idaho | $148,928 | $155,955 | $147,074 | 3.8/10 | 16 |
| Michigan | $148,928 | $154,783 | $148,205 | 4.2/10 | 85 |
| West Virginia | $148,928 | $166,406 | $158,385 | 2.7/10 | 57 |
| Vermont | $148,928 | $152,033 | $138,730 | 3.8/10 | 21 |
| Iowa | $148,720 | $169,458 | $163,019 | 4.3/10 | 26 |
| Illinois | $147,784 | $147,846 | $140,528 | 4.0/10 | 214 |
| Maine | $146,172 | $150,615 | $139,846 | 4.9/10 | 13 |
| Rhode Island | $146,151 | $142,893 | $134,334 | 4.4/10 | 19 |
| South Dakota | $146,120 | $164,947 | $164,947 | 4.1/10 | 10 |
| Colorado | $145,850 | $141,530 | $135,303 | 4.2/10 | 89 |
| Connecticut | $145,600 | $140,527 | $130,704 | 3.0/10 | 49 |
| New York | $142,407 | $131,955 | $122,916 | 3.7/10 | 309 |
| New Mexico | $141,450 | $153,397 | $144,346 | 3.9/10 | 24 |
| Virginia | $141,440 | $139,896 | $131,852 | 3.9/10 | 101 |
| Massachusetts | $141,440 | $133,741 | $127,054 | 3.6/10 | 237 |
| Ohio | $141,440 | $152,457 | $147,121 | 3.9/10 | 158 |
| Florida | $141,440 | $136,771 | $136,771 | 3.7/10 | 256 |
| Indiana | $141,440 | $151,550 | $147,003 | 3.5/10 | 65 |
| Texas | $141,440 | $145,729 | $145,729 | 3.7/10 | 262 |
| Minnesota | $141,440 | $143,418 | $129,291 | 4.5/10 | 104 |
| North Carolina | $141,440 | $149,948 | $143,575 | 3.9/10 | 116 |
| Georgia | $141,440 | $146,885 | $138,968 | 4.0/10 | 72 |
| Missouri | $141,440 | $155,742 | $148,422 | 3.2/10 | 55 |
| Maryland | $141,440 | $134,757 | $127,009 | 3.7/10 | 99 |
| Alabama | $141,440 | $159,238 | $151,276 | 3.5/10 | 64 |
| Kansas | $141,440 | $157,037 | $148,274 | 4.2/10 | 30 |
| New Jersey | $141,440 | $129,994 | $121,713 | 3.4/10 | 116 |
| Nevada | $141,440 | $141,470 | $141,470 | 3.8/10 | 29 |
| South Carolina | $141,440 | $150,871 | $141,517 | 3.1/10 | 58 |
| New Hampshire | $141,440 | $135,785 | $135,785 | 3.6/10 | 15 |
| Nebraska | $140,993 | $156,480 | $148,343 | 3.5/10 | 21 |
| Pennsylvania | $140,500 | $143,996 | $139,576 | 3.6/10 | 120 |
| Arizona | $140,500 | $139,555 | $136,066 | 4.2/10 | 95 |
| Utah | $140,400 | $142,013 | $135,552 | 4.6/10 | 45 |
| Louisiana | $140,400 | $159,171 | $154,396 | 3.0/10 | 49 |
| North Dakota | $140,000 | $157,376 | $153,441 | 3.6/10 | 10 |
| Montana | $139,631 | $147,531 | $138,827 | 4.2/10 | 16 |
| Kentucky | $138,320 | $153,418 | $147,281 | 4.3/10 | 41 |
| Mississippi | $138,320 | $159,074 | $152,075 | 3.2/10 | 29 |
| Arkansas | $138,320 | $159,104 | $152,899 | 3.8/10 | 34 |
| Oklahoma | $135,000 | $153,683 | $146,383 | 3.7/10 | 46 |
| Hawaii | $127,700 | $116,143 | $103,367 | 2.7/10 | 7 |
Common questions
Which state pays pharmacists the most?
Washington currently has the highest median pharmacist salary at $163,572, based on 138 real job listings. Adjusted for cost of living, Iowa offers the highest real purchasing power at $169,458.
Which state offers the best after-tax pharmacist pay?
South Dakota currently leads the take-home view at $164,947 — the state median after its state income tax (Tax Foundation state income tax rates (2025)), divided by the local cost-of-living index. No-income-tax states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee often outrank nominally higher-paying states here.
Why adjust pharmacist salaries for cost of living?
Prices differ across states. The adjusted view divides each state's pay benchmark by its regional price index (U.S. average = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). This is a state-level comparison, not a personal budget or a city-level cost estimate. Missing price data is shown as unavailable.
Which state has the best pharmacist lifestyle scores?
Alaska currently has the highest average WeekdayDoc burnout score (4.9/10, higher is better) for pharmacist listings — a measure of call burden, weekend requirements, and schedule flexibility across postings.
More salary maps
See the full percentile breakdown on the Pharmacist salary page.