Pharmacists Salary
The median pay for a pharmacists in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is $148,740/year ($71.51/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $120K at the entry level to $167K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $145,041 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,810/month, or 19.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $149K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Pharmacists pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington tracks closely to the national median, $149K locally vs. $141K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,810/month, 20.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $134K | $142K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $138K | $138K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $135K | $137K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $131K | $140K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level pharmacists (10th percentile) start around $120K. Mid-career wages sit at $149K. Top earners bring in $167K or more, a $47K 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Yes — at the median salary of $149K, rent takes 20.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacists in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacists typically earn — is $120K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,190/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is pharmacist a high-paying job in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $149K locally vs. $141K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for pharmacists?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $149K median vs. the U.S. average of $141K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $145K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pharmacists make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $148,740 a year, that works out to about $72 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $119,840, and experienced pharmacists can clear $167,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $149K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,988/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 20.1% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (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 $145,041 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.