Pharmacists Salary
The median pay for a pharmacists in State College, PA is $135,010/year ($64.91/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $107K at the entry level to $166K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.76), that's roughly $139,531 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,406/month, or 16.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $135K get you in State College?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by State College’s Regional Price Parity (96.76). 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 State College
Pharmacists pay in State College tracks closely to the national median, $135K locally vs. $141K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,406/month, 17.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.76) 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 State College, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $149K | $145K |
| Pittsburgh | $134K | $142K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $138K | $138K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $135K | $137K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, State College, PA
Entry-level pharmacists (10th percentile) start around $107K. Mid-career wages sit at $135K. Top earners bring in $166K or more, a $59K 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 State College numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacist afford a 2BR apartment alone in State College?
Yes — at the median salary of $135K, rent takes 17.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,406/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacists in State College?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacists typically earn — is $107K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,442/month. At HUD’s $1,406/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is pharmacist a high-paying job in State College?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $135K locally vs. $141K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does State College compare to the national average for pharmacists?
State College pays $135K median vs. the U.S. average of $141K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $140K — below the national median.
How much do pharmacists make in State College, PA?
The median is $135,010 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $107,370, and experienced pharmacists can clear $166,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $135K enough to live in State College?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,241/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,406/month, which eats 17.1% 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 State College?
State College has a Regional Price Parity of 96.76 (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 $139,531 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.