Pharmacists Salary
The median pay for a pharmacists in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN is $159,020/year ($76.45/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $110K at the entry level to $188K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.77), which stretches that salary to about $173,281 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,166/month, or 12.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $159K get you in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by La Crosse-Onalaska’s Regional Price Parity (91.77). 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 La Crosse-Onalaska
La Crosse-Onalaska sits well above the national pay line for pharmacists, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $141K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,166/month, 12.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.77 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, La Crosse-Onalaska offers a genuinely strong financial position for pharmacistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pharmacists in metros near La Crosse-Onalaska, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $153K | $158K |
| Madison | $158K | $163K |
| Green Bay | $141K | $152K |
| Appleton | $145K | $156K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
Entry-level pharmacists (10th percentile) start around $110K. Mid-career wages sit at $159K. Top earners bring in $188K or more, a $77K 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 La Crosse-Onalaska numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacist afford a 2BR apartment alone in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Yes — at the median salary of $159K, rent takes 12.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,166/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacists in La Crosse-Onalaska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacists typically earn — is $110K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,619/month. At HUD’s $1,166/month FMR, rent would take 18% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is pharmacist a high-paying job in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $159K here vs. $141K nationally.
How does La Crosse-Onalaska compare to the national average for pharmacists?
La Crosse-Onalaska pays $159K median vs. the U.S. average of $141K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $173K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pharmacists make in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?
The median is $159,020 a year, that works out to about $76 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $110,320, and experienced pharmacists can clear $187,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $159K enough to live in La Crosse-Onalaska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,338/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,166/month, which eats 12.5% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska?
La Crosse-Onalaska has a Regional Price Parity of 91.77 (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 $173,281 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.