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Compound and dispense medications following prescriptions issued by physicians, dentists, or other authorized medical practitioners.
Select a State
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U.S.
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$78,620
($37.80)
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$103,300
($49.66)
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$88,650
($42.62)
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Annual figures are on top. Hourly figures are below in parentheses.
N/A = Information not available
- Pharmacy (PharmD [USA], PharmD or BS/BPharm [Canada])
- Pharmacy Administration/Policy/Regulatory Affairs (MS, PhD)
- Pharmaceutics and Drug Design (MS, PhD)
- Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (MS, PhD)
- Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy (MS, PhD)
- Clinical and Industrial Drug Development (MS, PhD)
- Pharmacoeconomics/Pharmaceutical Economics (MS, PhD)
- Clinical, Hospital, and Managed Care Pharmacy (MS, PhD)
- Industrial and Physical Pharmacy and Cosmetic Sciences (MS, PhD)
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, Other
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Employment is expected to increase much faster than the average through 2016. As a result of rapid growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupation, job prospects should be excellent.
Employment change. Employment of pharmacists is expected to grow by 22 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. The increasing numbers of middle-aged and elderly people—who use more prescription drugs than younger people—will continue to spur demand for pharmacists throughout the projection period. Other factors likely to increase the demand for pharmacists include scientific advances that will make more drug products available and the coverage of prescription drugs by a greater number of health insurance plans and Medicare.
As the use of prescription drugs increases, demand for pharmacists will grow in most practice settings, such as community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, and mail-order pharmacies. As the population ages, assisted living facilities and home care organizations should see particularly rapid growth. Demand will also increase as cost conscious insurers, in an attempt to improve preventative care, use pharmacists in areas such as patient education and vaccination administration.
Demand is also increasing in managed care organizations where pharmacists analyze trends and patterns in medication use, and in pharmacoeconomics—the cost and benefit analysis of different drug therapies. New jobs also are being created in disease management—the development of new methods for curing and controlling diseases—and in sales and marketing. Rapid growth is also expected in pharmacy informatics—the use of information technology to improve patient care.
Job prospects. Excellent opportunities are expected for pharmacists over the 2006 to 2016 period. Job openings will result from rapid employment growth, and from the need to replace workers who retire or leave the occupation for other reasons.
Pharmacists held about 243,000 jobs in 2006. About 62 percent worked in community pharmacies that were either independently owned or part of a drugstore chain, grocery store, department store, or mass merchandiser. Most community pharmacists were salaried employees, but some were self-employed owners. About 23 percent of pharmacists worked in hospitals. A small proportion worked in mail-order and Internet pharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesalers, offices of physicians, and the Federal Government.
Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation
Overall Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of medical school and up to an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to do their job.
Education
At a minimum, a bachelor's degree is required for these occupations. However, many also require a graduate school degree such as a Master's, Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations require that you already have the necessary skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Examples
Lawyers, instrumental musicians, physicists, counseling psychologists, and surgeons.
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising or managing the activities of others. Very advanced communication and organization skills are required.
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For information on pharmacy as a career, preprofessional and professional requirements, programs offered by colleges of pharmacy, and student financial aid, contact:
- American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, 1426 Prince St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Internet: http://www.aacp.org
General information on careers in pharmacy is available from:
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 7272 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. Internet: http://www.ashp.org
- National Association of Chain Drug Stores, 413 N. Lee St., P.O. Box 1417-D49, Alexandria, VA 22313-1480. Internet: http://www.nacds.org
- Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, 100 North Pitt St., Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314. Internet: http://www.amcp.org
- American Pharmacists Association, 1100 15th Street, N.W. Suite 400., Washington, DC 20005. Internet: http://www.aphanet.org
Information on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE) is available from:
- National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, 1600 Feehanville Dr., Mount Prospect, IL 60056. Internet: http://www.nabp.net
State licensure requirements are available from each State's board of pharmacy. Information on specific college entrance requirements, curriculums, and financial aid is available from any college of pharmacy.
Sources: O*Net data version 12.0
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Department of Labor
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