Pharmacists Salary
The median pay for a pharmacists in Colorado is $156,030/year ($75.01/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $120K at the entry level to $188K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $150,448 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,832/month, or 19% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $156K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About pharmacists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Colorado
Colorado sits well above the national pay line for pharmacists, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $141K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,832/month, 19.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Colorado offers a genuinely strong financial position for pharmacists at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level pharmacists (10th percentile) start around $120K. Mid-career wages sit at $156K. Top earners bring in $188K or more, a $68K spread from bottom to top.
Pharmacists salary by metro in Colorado
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $164K | +5% | 250 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $158K | +1% | 2,630 |
| Colorado Springs | $154K | -1% | N/A |
| Pueblo | $150K | -4% | 130 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $149K | -4% | N/A |
| Greeley | $149K | -5% | 150 |
| Grand Junction | $147K | -6% | 120 |
Compare to other states
Track pharmacists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a pharmacist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
Yes — at the median salary of $156K, rent takes 19.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacists in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacists typically earn — is $120K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,313/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is pharmacist a high-paying job in Colorado?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $156K here vs. $141K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for pharmacists?
Colorado pays $156K median vs. the U.S. average of $141K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $150K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pharmacists make in Colorado?
The median is $156,030 a year, that works out to about $75 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $120,410, and experienced pharmacists can clear $188,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $156K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,211/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 19.9% 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 Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (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 $150,448 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.