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Pharmacist salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$164,610median pay per year in California, or $79.14 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $90,560lowest 10% earn less
  2. $138,36025th percentile
  3. $164,610median
  4. $197,86075th percentile
  5. $213,820top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $140,910[3]

The median pay for pharmacists in California was $164,610 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $23,700 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
34,030[4]
Rank by median pay
3 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+16.8%[6]

How much do pharmacists make in California?

Half of pharmacists in California earned more than $164,610 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $79.14 an hour[1]. The average was $162,340 a year[7]. California had the 3rd highest median for pharmacists among the 50 states and DC[5].

Across the US as a whole, the median was $140,910[3]. California was 16.8% above that[6]. For all jobs in California, the median was $58,240[8]. Pharmacists earned $106,370 more than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% of pharmacists in California earned less than $90,560[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $213,820[2]. Among metro areas, Napa had the highest median at $200,580[10]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had a median of $199,040[11]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had the most pharmacist jobs, at 12,450, with a median of $157,440[11].

These figures come from wage and salary jobs[12]. They leave out self-employed people and owners and partners in unincorporated firms[12]. They also leave out bonuses and the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for pharmacists in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$164,610[1]$140,910[3]
Median per hour$79.14[1]$67.75[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$90,560[2]$99,290[13]
Top 10% earn more than$213,820[2]$174,230[13]
Jobs34,030[4]321,970[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for pharmacists, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$157,44012,450
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$177,4103,670
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$161,8703,400
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$165,1302,840
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$172,6802,310
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$199,0401,960
Fresno, CA$169,160890
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$160,430630

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for pharmacists in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$165,9603,250
Arizona$146,9306,900
Nevada$140,0302,500

Median pay for pharmacists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for pharmacists are projected to grow 5.2% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: doctoral or professional degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a pharmacist make in California?
The median was $164,610 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $162,340 a year[7].
How much does a pharmacist make an hour in California?
The median was $79.14 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $43.54 an hour and the 90th percentile was $102.80[17].
Which city in California pays pharmacists the most?
Napa had the highest median among California metro areas with a published figure, at $200,580 a year[10]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had a median of $199,040[11].
Is California a good state for pharmacists?
California had the 3rd highest median annual wage for pharmacists among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was 16.8% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a pharmacist in California?
Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a doctoral or professional degree[16]. This is a US figure, not one for California alone.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Pharmacists in California was $164,610 per year and $79.14 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Pharmacists in California: 10th percentile $90,560, 25th percentile $138,360, 75th percentile $197,860, 90th percentile $213,820. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Pharmacists in the US as a whole was $140,910 per year and $67.75 per hour, with about 321,970 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 34,030 people worked as Pharmacists in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 3rd highest median annual wage for Pharmacists out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Pharmacists in California ($164,610) was $23,700 (16.8%) higher than the US median ($140,910). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Pharmacists in California was $162,340 per year and $78.05 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Pharmacists in California was $106,370 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Pharmacists, Napa, CA had the highest median annual wage, $200,580. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Pharmacists in the US: 10th percentile $99,290, 25th percentile $129,380, 75th percentile $161,840, 90th percentile $174,230. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Pharmacists in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $165,960; Arizona $146,930; Nevada $140,030. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Pharmacists is projected to grow 5.2% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 12,500 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Pharmacists: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Pharmacists in California: 10th percentile $43.54, 25th percentile $66.52, 75th percentile $95.12, 90th percentile $102.80. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.