Pharmacists Salary
The median pay for a pharmacists in Virginia is $144,060/year ($69.26/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $107K at the entry level to $174K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $151,978 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 18.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $144K get you in Virginia?
About pharmacists
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What this looks like in Virginia
Pharmacists pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $144K locally vs. $141K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,646/month, 19.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level pharmacists (10th percentile) start around $107K. Mid-career wages sit at $144K. Top earners bring in $174K or more, a $67K spread from bottom to top.
Pharmacists salary by metro in Virginia
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $145K | +1% | 1,350 |
| Lynchburg | $144K | +0% | 190 |
| Charlottesville | $142K | -1% | 320 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $138K | -4% | 110 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $136K | -5% | 1,470 |
| Harrisonburg | $136K | -5% | 130 |
| Winchester | $136K | -6% | 150 |
| Roanoke | $134K | -7% | 360 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $132K | -9% | 170 |
Compare to other states
Track pharmacists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $144K, rent takes 19.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacists in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacists typically earn — is $107K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,408/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is pharmacist a high-paying job in Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $144K locally vs. $141K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for pharmacists?
Virginia pays $144K median vs. the U.S. average of $141K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $152K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pharmacists make in Virginia?
The median is $144,060 a year, that works out to about $69 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $106,800, and experienced pharmacists can clear $173,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $144K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,454/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 19.5% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $151,978 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.