Pharmacists
Dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. May advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of medications.
Pharmacists earn a median of $67.75/hr — about $141,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $47.73/hr; the top 10% earn $83.77/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability.
- Assess the identity, strength, or purity of medications.
- Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage.
- Analyze prescribing trends to monitor patient compliance and to prevent excessive usage or harmful interactions.
- Maintain records, such as pharmacy files, patient profiles, charge system files, inventories, control records for radioactive nuclei, or registries of poisons, narcotics, or controlled drugs.
- Collaborate with other health care professionals to plan, monitor, review, or evaluate the quality or effectiveness of drugs or drug regimens, providing advice on drug applications or characteristics.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
The feel of the work
The work is mostly indoors; you're around people constantly; time pressure is a real part of the job; it rewards working independently; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0.6% of pharmacists are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are analytical, people-focused and organized and detail-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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Quick questions
- How much does a pharmacist make?
- The median pay is $67.75 per hour — roughly $141,000 a year, with the real range running from about $47.73/hr (10th percentile) to $83.77/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a pharmacist?
- The typical entry-level education is: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation level: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
- What does a pharmacist actually do all day?
- Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability. Assess the identity, strength, or purity of medications. Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage.
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