How to become a Community Pharmacist

Also called: Retail Pharmacist

Dispenses prescribed pharmaceuticals to the public, educates customers on health promotion, disease prevention and the proper use of medicines, and sells non-prescription medicines and related goods in a community pharmacy.

Main tasks

• Reviews prescriptions and patients' medicine histories to ensure optimal dosage, methods of administration and drug compatibility before dispensing
• Prepares or supervises the preparation and labelling of liquid medicines, topical medicines and other medications to fill prescriptions
• Provides guidance to patients on medications, drug incompatibility, contraindications and lifestyle measures to prevent and assist with management of medication and medical conditions
• Supplies non-prescription medicines, and diagnostic and therapeutic aids
• Maintains records of the supply of prescription medicines, controlled drugs and other restricted substances
• Advises prescribers on therapeutic suitability, drug incompatibility and contraindications of medicines
• Stores and preserves vaccines, serums and other drugs subject to deterioration
• Prescribes and administers medications and treatments within the scope of pharmacy practice compounds, and manufactures medicines when preparations are not available
• Supervises and coordinates the work of pharmacy technicians, pharmacy interns and pharmacy sales assistants

Ways in

• University: Pharmacy degrees, Offered by 20 universities in Australia
• Licence or registration: Registration or licensing is required.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Typical full-time pay: $101,712 a year
• About 42,000 people work in this job group now, and about 50,400 are projected by 2035. (+20%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Community Pharmacist?

Ways in include: Pharmacy degrees.

How much does a Community Pharmacist earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $101,712 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is a Community Pharmacist a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 20% by 2035, from about 42,000 to about 50,400 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Community Pharmacist?

Usually. 92% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Community Pharmacist?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04