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Pharmacists

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $140,910 Median per year · $67.75/hr Most earn $99,290–$174,230

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Advise customers on the selection of medication brands, medical equipment, or healthcare supplies.
  • Contact insurance companies to resolve billing issues.
  • Contact insurance companies to resolve billing issues.
  • Prepare sterile solutions or infusions for use in surgical procedures, emergency rooms, or patients' homes.
  • Compound and dispense medications as prescribed by doctors and dentists, by calculating, weighing, measuring, and mixing ingredients, or oversee these activities.
  • Assay radiopharmaceuticals, verify rates of disintegration, and calculate the volume required to produce the desired results, to ensure proper dosages.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
5% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 12,500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Pharmacies and drug retailers36.9%
  • General medical and surgical hospitals29.6%
  • General merchandise retailers6.3%
  • Grocery and specialty food retailers6.1%
  • Offices of physicians2.7%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

On-siteExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Pharmacy is not an entry-level job straight out of high school or undergrad. Most pharmacists earn a doctoral degree (Doctor of Pharmacy, or PharmD) and pass a licensing exam, so the full path usually takes about 6 to 8 years after high school, with related work experience often built along the way.

  1. Bachelor's degree with pre-pharmacy science courses

    about 2-4 years

    Take chemistry, biology, anatomy, and math while earning a degree, and keep your grades strong, since pharmacy programs look closely at them. Some students finish a full bachelor's first, while others finish the required prerequisites and apply to pharmacy school earlier.

  2. Pharmacy Technician

    1-2 years

    Working under pharmacists teaches you how prescriptions are filled, how pharmacy systems work, and how to talk with patients. This hands-on experience is common before pharmacy school and helps you decide if the work fits you.

  3. Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program, then licensing exam

    about 4 years

    A PharmD program covers drug science, dosing, and patient care, and includes supervised hospital and community rotations. After graduating, you must pass the national pharmacy licensing exam and your state's requirements to become a licensed pharmacist.

  4. Pharmacist

    Ongoing career

    As a licensed pharmacist, you fill prescriptions, counsel patients, and advise doctors and other health workers on the right medications, doses, and safety checks. Many pharmacists also complete an optional residency to specialize, such as in hospital or clinical care.

Where it can lead

  1. Clinical Pharmacist

    2-4 years of experience first

    You move from general pharmacy work into a focus on patient care, often in hospitals or clinics, where you work directly with care teams on medication plans. Many people in this role complete a residency or extra training first.

  2. Pharmacy Manager

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take charge of a pharmacy's staff, schedules, inventory, and daily operations, and you need strong leadership and business skills as well as clinical knowledge. This role often builds on several years of working as a pharmacist.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take chemistry, biology, and mathThese classes build the science foundation you will need for pharmacy courses later on.
  • Take anatomy or health science courses if your school offers themEarly exposure to how the body works helps you see whether healthcare is a good fit.
  • Join a health occupations or science clubClubs like these give you chances to learn about healthcare careers and meet others who share your interests.
  • Look for a part-time or summer job in a store or healthcare settingAny customer-facing or healthcare-adjacent job helps you build communication skills and a sense of how medical settings operate.
  • Volunteer at a hospital, clinic, or nursing home if you canVolunteering shows you the patient side of healthcare and looks good on future applications.

In college

  • Major in chemistry, biology, or another science, and finish pre-pharmacy coursesPharmacy programs require specific science and math courses, and a science major covers most of them.
  • Work as a pharmacy technician or in another pharmacy-related jobHands-on work in a pharmacy builds real experience that is often expected of pharmacy school applicants and helps you decide if the career fits you.
  • Get a pharmacy technician certification if available in your areaA certification adds a credential to your résumé and shows you understand pharmacy practice basics.
  • Join a pre-pharmacy or health professions student group on campusThese groups offer advising, workshops, and networking with students and professionals heading the same way.
  • Do undergraduate research in a science labResearch experience builds critical thinking and lab skills, and it shows pharmacy schools you can handle rigorous science.

Tips for getting started

  • Get real experience early. Working as a pharmacy technician or in another healthcare job lets you see the work up close and can strengthen your applications.
  • Build strong grades in chemistry, biology, and math, since these subjects appear in both your undergraduate courses and pharmacy school.
  • Talk with a few working pharmacists about their day-to-day work, what they like, and what they wish they had known. Their insight is more useful than general descriptions.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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