Pharmacists Salary
The median pay for a pharmacists in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is $168,830/year ($81.17/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $127K at the entry level to $197K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $160,150 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,922/month, or 19.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $169K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro sits well above the national pay line for pharmacists, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $141K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,922/month, 20.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro offers a genuinely strong financial position for pharmacistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pharmacists in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Eugene-Springfield | $156K | $153K |
| Salem | $169K | $163K |
| Bend | $166K | $160K |
| Medford | $164K | $161K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level pharmacists (10th percentile) start around $127K. Mid-career wages sit at $169K. Top earners bring in $197K or more, a $69K 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Yes — at the median salary of $169K, rent takes 20.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacists in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacists typically earn — is $127K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,626/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is pharmacist a high-paying job in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $169K here vs. $141K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for pharmacists?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $169K median vs. the U.S. average of $141K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $160K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pharmacists make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $168,830 a year, that works out to about $81 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $127,100, and experienced pharmacists can clear $196,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $169K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,286/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 20.7% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (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 $160,150 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.