How to become a Pharmacist

Official title: Pharmacists

Also called: Clinical Pharmacist, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS), Community Pharmacist, Hospital Pharmacist, Inpatient Pharmacist, Pharm D (Pharmacy Doctor), Pharmacy Informaticist, Pharmacy Services Clinical Coordinator, Registered Pharmacist, Retail Pharmacist

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.

Main tasks

• Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability.
• 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.
• Work in hospitals or clinics or for Health Management Organizations (HMOs), dispensing prescriptions, serving as a medical team consultant, or specializing in specific drug therapy areas, such as oncology or nuclear pharmacotherapy.
• Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage.
• Provide specialized services to help patients manage conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure.
• 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.
• Prepare sterile solutions or infusions for use in surgical procedures, emergency rooms, or patients' homes.

How to become one

Pharmacists typically need a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Every state requires pharmacists to be licensed.

Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• College: Pharmacy degrees, Offered by 15 universities in the US
• Licence: A licence is required in 49 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $140,910 a year The middle half earn $129,380 to $161,840.
• About 325,200 people work in this job now, and about 342,300 are projected by 2035. (+5.2%)
• People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Pharmacist?

Pharmacists typically need a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Every state requires pharmacists to be licensed.

How much does a Pharmacist earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $140,910 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $129,380 to $161,840.

Is a Pharmacist a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 325,200 to about 342,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Pharmacist?

Usually. 99% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Pharmacist?

People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.