Pharmacists Salary
The median pay for a pharmacists in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC is $150,580/year ($72.4/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $92K at the entry level to $174K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.35), that's roughly $154,679 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,686/month, or 18.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $151K get you in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia’s Regional Price Parity (97.35). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About pharmacists
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What this looks like in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
Pharmacists pay in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia tracks closely to the national median, $151K locally vs. $141K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,686/month, 18.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.35) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pharmacists in metros near Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $133K | $136K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $141K | $145K |
| Winston-Salem | $136K | $147K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $138K | $149K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
Entry-level pharmacists (10th percentile) start around $92K. Mid-career wages sit at $151K. Top earners bring in $174K or more, a $82K spread from bottom to top.
Pharmacists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Pharmacists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $167K | +19% | 560 |
| Oregon | $166K | +18% | 3,250 |
| California | $165K | +17% | 34,030 |
| Hawaii | $163K | +16% | 1,190 |
| Washington | $161K | +14% | 7,350 |
| Minnesota | $160K | +13% | 6,310 |
| Colorado | $156K | +11% | 4,560 |
| District of Columbia | $153K | +9% | 850 |
| Delaware | $153K | +8% | 790 |
| Wisconsin | $149K | +6% | 5,730 |
| New Mexico | $147K | +4% | 1,730 |
| Arizona | $147K | +4% | 6,900 |
| South Dakota | $147K | +4% | 1,280 |
| Idaho | $145K | +3% | 1,790 |
| Indiana | $144K | +2% | 6,430 |
| Utah | $144K | +2% | 2,830 |
| Virginia | $144K | +2% | 7,980 |
| New Hampshire | $143K | +1% | 1,130 |
| New York | $142K | +1% | 19,760 |
| Montana | $142K | +1% | 1,190 |
| North Dakota | $142K | +1% | 1,070 |
| Connecticut | $141K | +0% | 3,490 |
| Maine | $141K | +0% | 1,380 |
| Nevada | $140K | -1% | 2,500 |
| Wyoming | $140K | -1% | 510 |
| Nebraska | $139K | -1% | 2,450 |
| Illinois | $139K | -1% | 12,070 |
| Maryland | $139K | -1% | 5,400 |
| North Carolina | $139K | -1% | 11,430 |
| Iowa | $139K | -1% | 3,230 |
| Texas | $138K | -2% | 24,700 |
| Massachusetts | $138K | -2% | 7,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $138K | -2% | 14,090 |
| Michigan | $138K | -2% | 8,780 |
| Kansas | $138K | -2% | 3,500 |
| New Jersey | $138K | -2% | 9,420 |
| Missouri | $138K | -2% | 6,740 |
| Georgia | $137K | -3% | 10,530 |
| Ohio | $137K | -3% | 12,790 |
| Kentucky | $137K | -3% | 5,030 |
| Vermont | $136K | -3% | 530 |
| Arkansas | $136K | -3% | 2,900 |
| Florida | $136K | -4% | 21,540 |
| South Carolina | $136K | -4% | 5,320 |
| Oklahoma | $135K | -4% | 3,610 |
| Alabama | $135K | -4% | 5,400 |
| West Virginia | $133K | -5% | 2,260 |
| Tennessee | $133K | -5% | 8,250 |
| Mississippi | $133K | -5% | 3,050 |
| Louisiana | $132K | -6% | 5,610 |
| Rhode Island | $128K | -9% | 1,510 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track pharmacists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Yes — at the median salary of $151K, rent takes 18.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,686/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacists in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacists typically earn — is $92K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,506/month. At HUD’s $1,686/month FMR, rent would take 31% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is pharmacist a high-paying job in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $151K locally vs. $141K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia compare to the national average for pharmacists?
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia pays $151K median vs. the U.S. average of $141K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.35), the purchasing-power equivalent is $155K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pharmacists make in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
The median is $150,580 a year, that works out to about $72 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $91,770, and experienced pharmacists can clear $173,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $151K enough to live in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,908/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,686/month, which eats 18.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a pharmacists salary go in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia has a Regional Price Parity of 97.35 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median pharmacists salary is worth about $154,679 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do pharmacists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.