LIVE MARKET·937 postings · last 180 days·Updated April 30, 2026

Hospital Pharmacist salary: $80.50/hr$3,220/wk$167,440/yr median.

Pay range $74.80$2,992$155,584$85.90/hr$3,436/wk$178,672/yr across the middle 50% of active Pharmacists Pharmacy Professional postings nationwide.

76 unique employers · 162 cities · 48 states. Pay moved +0.6% over the last 30 days.

Show pay as
Median /hr/wk/yr
$80.50$3,220$167,440
P25–P75
$74.80$2,992$155,584$85.90$3,436$178,672
middle 50%
Postings
937
43.3%
Coverage
48 states
76 employers
01·PAY DISTRIBUTION·P10 → P90

How Hospital Pharmacist pay is distributed.

10% of postings pay under $71.50/hr$2,860/wk$148,720/yr. The top 10% pay above $94.88/hr$3,795/wk$197,350/yr.

P10
$71.50
P25
$74.80
P50
$80.50
P75
$85.90
P90
$94.88
P10
$71.50/hr$2,860/wk$148,720/yr
P25
$74.80/hr$2,992/wk$155,584/yr
P50 (median)
$80.50/hr$3,220/wk$167,440/yr
P75
$85.90/hr$3,436/wk$178,672/yr
P90
$94.88/hr$3,795/wk$197,350/yr
03·STATE BREAKDOWN·n=937

Hospital Pharmacist pay across every state with live data.

01Alabama AL36 postings
$83.13/hr
02Arizona AZ124 postings
$78.30/hr
03California CA127 postings
$82.80/hr
04Colorado CO64 postings
$82.08/hr
05Florida FL16 postings
$67.73/hr
06Idaho ID7 postings
$86.90/hr
07Illinois IL8 postings
$75.45/hr
08Indiana IN8 postings
$73.58/hr
09Iowa IA27 postings
$84.00/hr
10Kansas KS13 postings
$82.15/hr
11Kentucky KY8 postings
$80.28/hr
12Massachusetts MA7 postings
$76.53/hr
13Minnesota MN17 postings
$83.20/hr
14Missouri MO42 postings
$72.90/hr
15Montana MT5 postings
$73.00/hr
16Nebraska NE25 postings
$82.28/hr
17Nevada NV8 postings
$72.22/hr
18New Hampshire NH13 postings
$71.15/hr
19New Jersey NJ14 postings
$79.20/hr
20New Mexico NM26 postings
$73.33/hr
21New York NY16 postings
$97.09/hr
22North Carolina NC29 postings
$77.00/hr
23Ohio OH13 postings
$81.65/hr
24Oklahoma OK18 postings
$79.20/hr
25Oregon OR9 postings
$88.15/hr
26Pennsylvania PA21 postings
$78.40/hr
27South Carolina SC19 postings
$77.70/hr
28Texas TX26 postings
$72.10/hr
29Vermont VT17 postings
$78.11/hr
30Virginia VA60 postings
$89.48/hr
31Washington WA5 postings
$94.08/hr
32Wisconsin WI76 postings
$89.48/hr

Showing all 32 states with live data. Bars scale to the highest-paying state.

04·TOP-PAYING CITIES·METROS WITH ACTIVE POSTINGS

The metros writing the biggest Hospital Pharmacist paychecks.

CityStateMedian /hr/wk/yrP25–P75Postings
los angelesCA · CALIFORNIA$106.33$4,253$221,166$105.25$4,210$218,920$113.10$4,524$235,24811
schofieldWI · WISCONSIN$93.15$3,726$193,752$85.90$3,436$178,672$94.03$3,761$195,58214
chesapeakeVA · VIRGINIA$91.62$3,665$190,570$90.41$3,616$188,053$97.19$3,888$202,15530
marshfieldWI · WISCONSIN$90.95$3,638$189,176$88.02$3,521$183,082$92.71$3,708$192,83718
sacramentoCA · CALIFORNIA$90.30$3,612$187,824$82.80$3,312$172,224$93.61$3,744$194,70913
05·EMPLOYER BREAKDOWN·TOP 20 BY PAY

Where the top of the market is paying for Hospital Pharmacist.

EmployerMedian /hr/wk/yrRangePostings
$86.63$3,465$180,190$78.15$3,126$162,552$119.00$4,760$247,52017
adn healthcare$93.15$3,726$193,752$72.15$2,886$150,072$104.92$4,197$218,23411
amergis healthcare staffing, inc.-allied$88.15$3,526$183,352$74.00$2,960$153,920$97.73$3,909$203,2786
honorvet technologies$84.50$3,380$175,760$74.00$2,960$153,920$100.43$4,017$208,89410
kaiser permanente$105.50$4,220$219,440$94.86$3,794$197,309$111.44$4,458$231,79533
reliable nurse staffing$84.00$3,360$174,720$70.55$2,822$146,744$94.50$3,780$196,56020
remede consulting group$85.85$3,434$178,568$85.10$3,404$177,008$88.81$3,552$184,7256
theraex staffing services$88.89$3,556$184,891$73.00$2,920$151,840$101.75$4,070$211,6407
vibra travels$86.05$3,442$178,984$70.45$2,818$146,536$103.23$4,129$214,71832
wellspring nurse source$84.88$3,395$176,550$70.65$2,826$146,952$96.53$3,861$200,78215

Showing all 10 employers with live pay data.

06·SHIFT & CONTRACT MIX·PAY BY WORK PATTERN

How Hospital Pharmacist pay shifts by schedule and contract type.

Staff Position pays the most at $105.50/hr$4,220/wk$219,440/yr median — 74% above Parttime at $60.50/hr$2,420/wk$125,840/yr. Travel Contract drives the volume with 739 active postings.

BY SHIFT
Days
373 postings
$80.25/hr$3,210/wk$166,920/yr
Nights
177 postings
$79.20/hr$3,168/wk$164,736/yr
Day
133 postings
$78.80/hr$3,152/wk$163,904/yr
Rotating
72 postings
$83.90/hr$3,356/wk$174,512/yr
Not Specified
42 postings
$60.50/hr$2,420/wk$125,840/yr
Flexible
39 postings
$83.95/hr$3,358/wk$174,616/yr
Evenings
38 postings
$82.81/hr$3,312/wk$172,245/yr
Weekends
19 postings
$105.50/hr$4,220/wk$219,440/yr
Variable
15 postings
$77.28/hr$3,091/wk$160,742/yr
AM
14 postings
$96.90/hr$3,876/wk$201,552/yr
Night
6 postings
$86.50/hr$3,460/wk$179,920/yr
PM
3 postings
$94.86/hr$3,794/wk$197,309/yr
BY JOB TYPE
Travel Contract
739 postings
$80.63/hr$3,225/wk$167,710/yr
Not Specified
116 postings
$81.60/hr$3,264/wk$169,728/yr
Permanent
32 postings
$83.15/hr$3,326/wk$172,952/yr
PRN
28 postings
$60.50/hr$2,420/wk$125,840/yr
Staff Position
12 postings
$105.50/hr$4,220/wk$219,440/yr
Fulltime
6 postings
$64.50/hr$2,580/wk$134,160/yr
Parttime
4 postings
$60.50/hr$2,420/wk$125,840/yr
08·HOW TO BECOME·CAREER PATHWAY·GENERAL TO PHARMACY PROFESSIONAL

How to become a Hospital Pharmacist.

Pharmacy professionals dispense medications, counsel patients, and manage drug therapy across hospital, retail, ambulatory, and specialty settings. The category spans two very different paths: pharmacists (PharmD doctorate plus licensure) and pharmacy technicians (certificate or short program plus state registration). Both work side by side under the same scope umbrella but on different pay and training ladders.

Education·Min: PharmD for pharmacists; HS diploma + certificate for technicians · Preferred: PharmD + residency (PGY-1/PGY-2) for clinical roles

Pharmacist path: bachelor's prerequisites (2-3 years) → 4-year PharmD → NAPLEX + MPJE → state license. Hospital and clinical roles add a 1-2 year residency. Technician path: HS diploma → certificate or on-the-job training → PTCE/ExCPT exam → state registration. Most states require both pharmacists and technicians to be registered or licensed before dispensing.

DegreeDurationNotes
Doctor of PharmacyPharmD4 years post-prerequisites (typically 6 years total)Required for pharmacist licensure. Includes didactic plus advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) in hospital, community, and ambulatory care.
Pharmacy ResidencyPGY-1 / PGY-21-2 years post-PharmDPGY-1 covers general clinical pharmacy. PGY-2 is sub-specialty (ICU, oncology, infectious disease, pediatrics, etc.). Required for most hospital and clinical pharmacist roles.
Pharmacy technician certificateCert6 months - 2 yearsShort certificate or AAS program leading to PTCE/ExCPT certification. Sufficient for most retail and inpatient technician roles.
Licenses & Exams·3 credentials
Pharmacist licenseRegistered Pharmacist (RPh)Required
Exam: NAPLEX + MPJE · Issued by: State Board of Pharmacy

State-issued license required to practice as a pharmacist. Eligibility requires graduation from an ACPE-accredited PharmD program plus passing NAPLEX and the state's MPJE.

Pharmacy technician registrationState-registered pharmacy technicianRequired
Exam: PTCE or ExCPT · Issued by: State Board of Pharmacy

Required in most states. Eligibility typically requires PTCB or NHA certification plus a background check. A small number of states still allow on-the-job training without certification.

Immunization certificationImmunization training certificateOptional
Issued by: APhA or state-approved provider

Required to administer vaccines under pharmacist scope. Standard for retail pharmacy roles today.

Optional Certifications·Pay boost where known
CredentialIssued byPay impact
BCPS
Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist
The broadest specialty board certification for clinical pharmacists. Demonstrates competence across acute and ambulatory pharmacotherapy.
BPS+5-15%
BCOP / BCCCP / BCIDP / BCPP
Oncology / Critical Care / Infectious Diseases / Psychiatric Pharmacy
Sub-specialty boards. Typically pursued after PGY-2 in matching specialty.
BPS+5-15%
CSPT / CPhT-Adv
Certified Compounded Sterile Preparation Technician / Advanced CPhT
Advanced technician credentials for sterile compounding, hazardous drugs, billing/reimbursement, or medication therapy management.
PTCB+5-10%
Career Path·5 steps
  1. 0-3 years
    Pharmacy technician

    Entry point. Dispensing, inventory, insurance processing, and (with training) sterile compounding. Many techs use this as a stepping stone into pharmacy school.

  2. 0-1 years post-license
    PharmD intern / new-grad pharmacist

    Newly licensed pharmacist or PGY-1 resident. Building speed in dispensing and clinical review under preceptor oversight.

  3. 1-5 years
    Staff or clinical pharmacist

    Independent practice in hospital, retail, ambulatory, or specialty pharmacy. Many add BCPS or sub-specialty board certification.

  4. 5-10 years
    Lead / specialty pharmacist

    Service-line leadership: anticoagulation, ID stewardship, oncology, transplant, pediatrics. Often holds a sub-specialty board credential.

  5. 10+ years
    Pharmacy manager / Director of Pharmacy

    Owns operations, budget, formulary, and staffing for a department or store. Director-level roles typically require an MS or MBA in addition to PharmD.

Work Environment
Hospital inpatient and ED pharmacyRetail and community pharmacyAmbulatory care clinicsSpecialty and infusion pharmacyLong-term careMail-order and central fillIndustry and managed care

Schedule. Retail pharmacy is open 7 days a week including evenings. Hospitals run 24/7 — inpatient pharmacy includes overnight and weekend coverage. Ambulatory and specialty pharmacy generally run business hours.

Physical demands. Mostly on your feet in retail; mixed sitting and standing in hospital. Sterile compounding requires PPE and isolator-hood work. Cognitive precision matters more than physical exertion in this category.

Job Outlook·Mixed
+3% pharmacists, +6% techs (2022-2032)

Pharmacist job growth has moderated as retail consolidates and PharmD graduate volume catches up to demand. Hospital, clinical, ambulatory care, and specialty pharmacy still grow above average. Pharmacy technician demand is solid and likely to keep rising as scope expands (vaccinations, MTM, point-of-care testing).

FAQ — Becoming this role·3 questions
How long does it take to become a pharmacist?

Typically 6-8 years total: 2-3 years of prerequisites + 4 years of PharmD school. Add 1-2 years if you pursue a residency (required for most hospital and clinical pharmacy jobs).

Is pharmacy still a good career?

It depends on the setting. Retail pharmacy has tightened — slower growth, more stressful workloads, fewer new positions in saturated markets. Hospital, clinical, ambulatory care, specialty pharmacy, and industry roles remain healthy. Residency-trained PharmDs have meaningfully better opportunities than non-residency-trained graduates.

Do I need a residency to be a pharmacist?

Not to be licensed. But most hospital clinical positions (and essentially all sub-specialty roles) now require or strongly prefer PGY-1 residency, and academic/sub-specialty roles require PGY-2. Retail and community pharmacy do not require residency.

09·FREQUENTLY ASKED·HOSPITAL PHARMACIST

What clinicians ask about Hospital Pharmacist pay.

What is the average Hospital Pharmacist salary in 2026?

The median Hospital Pharmacist salary is $80.50/hr (approximately $167,440/yr) based on 937 active job postings.

What is the pay range for Hospital Pharmacist?

Hourly pay ranges from $74.80 at the 25th percentile to $85.90 at the 75th percentile, with the top 10% earning above $94.88/hr.

Which state pays Hospital Pharmacist roles the most?

Alabama currently leads with a median of $83.13/hr across 36 postings.

How many employers are hiring Hospital Pharmacists?

Our dataset shows 76 unique employers posting Hospital Pharmacist roles across 48 states.

Where does TrueRounds get Hospital Pharmacist salary data?

All salary figures are computed from active US healthcare job postings with listed pay ranges, collected over a rolling 180-day window and weighted by posting volume.

10·OTHER TRACKS IN PHARMACY PROFESSIONAL·3 SPECIALTIES

Explore other Pharmacy Professional tracks.

Hospital Pharmacist sits inside the Pharmacists track. Here are sibling tracks across Pharmacy Professional — same category, different clinical focus and pay envelope.

11·METHODOLOGY·HOW WE BUILD THESE NUMBERS

Active US healthcare postings. Weighted by volume. Refreshed daily.

Pay benchmarks are computed from active job postings with listed pay ranges, collected on a rolling 180-day window. Each role's percentiles are weighted by posting volume so a metro with two postings doesn't outweigh a metro with two hundred. Outliers (postings priced more than 4× the role median) are dropped to avoid contract-line distortion.

Use the data, then push back.

Bring these numbers into your next contract conversation. Recruiters know what the market pays — now you do too.