Pharmacists Salary
The median pay for a pharmacists in Chico, CA is $161,410/year ($77.6/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $123K at the entry level to $201K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.2), that's roughly $159,496 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,625/month, or 17.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $161K get you in Chico?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chico’s Regional Price Parity (101.2). 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 Chico
Chico sits well above the national pay line for pharmacists, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $141K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,625/month, 17.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 101.2) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Chico offers a genuinely strong financial position for pharmacistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pharmacists in metros near Chico, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $157K | $139K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $177K | $153K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $162K | $152K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $165K | $148K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chico, CA
Entry-level pharmacists (10th percentile) start around $123K. Mid-career wages sit at $161K. Top earners bring in $201K or more, a $78K 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 Chico numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chico?
Yes — at the median salary of $161K, rent takes 17.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,625/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacists in Chico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacists typically earn — is $123K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,382/month. At HUD’s $1,625/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is pharmacist a high-paying job in Chico?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $161K here vs. $141K nationally.
How does Chico compare to the national average for pharmacists?
Chico pays $161K median vs. the U.S. average of $141K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $159K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pharmacists make in Chico, CA?
The median is $161,410 a year, that works out to about $78 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $123,040, and experienced pharmacists can clear $200,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $161K enough to live in Chico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,161/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,625/month, which eats 17.7% 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 Chico?
Chico has a Regional Price Parity of 101.2 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median pharmacists salary is worth about $159,496 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.