Is this real? 300k income as a pharmacist?

[AONLINE]

Somebody in a Facebook group asked if they should go to pharmacy school and what is the projected income for pharmacists. Someone replied with this. So now a lot of people in that thread is convinced that pharmacy is a very lucrative career. Any truth to this 300k income reported by this person?

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[mentos]

I guess anything is possible but for 99% of pharmacists, no.

 

[gwarm01]

Time was you had to go to Alaska for those kind of numbers!

200k is on the high end of what I've seen, but maybe the Bay is paying 300k now? @confettiflyer care to comment?

 

[RxPreceptor]

Oncology specifically (board certification requirement) postings in my area have very generous pay around $100/hour

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Probably in CA, and probably both working OT or have some other side gig.

Also unsure what "1 year extra certifications" means... BPS certs aren't that demanding

 

[mentos]

Oncology specifically (board certification requirement) postings in my area have very generous pay around $100/hour

That's not close to 300k/year though.

 

[RxPreceptor]

That's not close to 300k/year though.

Ok, you know what they say about making assumptions though…

You and me both know that people on these boards tend to exaggerate, omit information, round up pretty generously, etc. when it comes to finances

 

[firework]

Oncology specifically (board certification requirement) postings in my area have very generous pay around $100/hour

which area? CA?

 

[Splenda88]

That is pretty good. I should have gone to pharmacy school then.

 

[PharmtoCS]

That is pretty good. I should have gone to pharmacy school then.

Assuming this is not /s, I would have recommended software engineering instead. Far more engineers earn $300k compared to pharmacists.

 

[Caverject]

It’s true.

 

[RxPreceptor]

which area? CA?

NYC area of course

 

[firework]

NYC area of course

Still, $100/hour is pretty good. hospital setting? or clinics?

 

[projektreverb]

Is that you letsquitpharm?

 

[Sparda29]

So currently, most of the pharmacists at my hospital as well as the hospitals in our union group in the Bronx and Westchester have a base rate of $76.50. Factor in the evening/overnight differential, that brings us to $86/hr. With the last raises negotiated by the union, we have a 6% raise coming up in October 2024, and a 5% raise coming up in October 2025. That will bring us up to a base of $85.14 in 2025 with evening and overnight getting $93.65/hr.

This is for basic hospital staff pharmacists. I'm not sure if clinical specialists are part of the union since they fall under management sometimes.

 

[Chrish]

What is ballpark hourly salary like for a retail rph in California (SoCal and Bay Area) and Seattle? Any idea ?

 

[PharmtoCS]

What is ballpark hourly salary like for a retail rph in California (SoCal and Bay Area) and Seattle? Any idea ?

About $70-75 an hour. As far as job availability, coastal CA is a barren wasteland.

 

[Chrish]

About $70-75 an hour. As far as job availability, coastal CA is a barren wasteland.

That’s embarrassing low for metro LA (Bay area has even higher COL).

 

[Splenda88]

That’s embarrassing low for metro LA (Bay area has even higher COL).

That is 146-156k on a 40 hrs/wk. That is probably close to a pediatrician salary in that area.

It seems like these desirable areas can afford to low ball healthcare workers except for nurses that are usually unionized.

A pharmacist should be making 200k+/yr to make up for the HCOL.

 

[PharmtoCS]

That is 146-156k on a 40 hrs/wk. That is probably close to a pediatrician salary in that area.

TIL that pediatricians are even more criminally underpaid than I thought. I have always thought that they earn closer to $200-250k.

 

[Splenda88]

TIL that pediatricians are even more criminally underpaid than I thought. I have always thought that they earn closer to $200-250k.

These desirable areas take advantage of supply of docs

This is a real example. One of my classmates who is a nocturnist in NYC got paid ~220k/yr (7 nights on/off) because she likes NYC. I can get her a job at my place in the southeast 405k/yr same schedule. She can have an apartment in NYC and travel every other week to enjoy whatever she enjoys there and still come out ahead.

 

[AONLINE]

That is 146-156k on a 40 hrs/wk. That is probably close to a pediatrician salary in that area.

Is this for real? Dentist here and it’ll be hard to find any of us that would accept a $150k salary for a 40-hr work week. Hard to believe a physician would accept that low of compensation.

 

[Splenda88]

Is this for real? Dentist here and it’ll be hard to find any of us that would accept a $150k salary for a 40-hr work week. Hard to believe a physician would accept that low of compensation.

They might make a little bit more, but it's not going to be a lot more.

 

[RXDOC1986]

Hey, if it's on the internet, and especially on FaceBook, it has to be true. No one ever exaggerates their income. Nobody ever lies.
To all you naysayers; Pharmacy is super lucrative. Jump in, the water is fine.

 

[mentos]

Hey, if it's on the internet, and especially on FaceBook, it has to be true. No one ever exaggerates their income. Nobody ever lies.
To all you naysayers; Pharmacy is super lucrative. Jump in, the water is fine.

Yeah. All those walkouts are a hoax. Apply to pharmacy school now, the CVS executive says there's a nationwide pharmacist shortage! You don't even need to take the PCAT! Rejected from medical, dental, PA, optometry, or physical therapy school? Pharmacy schools will accept you with open arms! Just sign right here and here.

 

[Splenda88]

Yeah. All those walkouts are a hoax. Apply to pharmacy school now, the CVS executive says there's a nationwide pharmacist shortage! You don't even need to take the PCAT! Rejected from medical, dental, PA, optometry, or physical therapy school? Pharmacy schools will accept you with open arms! Just sign right here and here.

Things have changed a lot. I remember 2011-2102 pharmacy school was competitive.

 

[Sparda29]

Things have changed a lot. I remember 2011-2102 pharmacy school was competitive.

Yep, in 2006 I flat out didn't qualify to progress to the professional stage because I failed organic chem and then the year after I applied to a dozen schools, only got interviewed by Touro and Jefferson, got waitlisted at Touro and got the acceptance phone call first day into classes at LIU for what would have been my 4th year.

 

[Splenda88]

Yep, in 2006 I flat out didn't qualify to progress to the professional stage because I failed organic chem and then the year after I applied to a dozen schools, only got interviewed by Touro and Jefferson, got waitlisted at Touro and got the acceptance phone call first day into classes at LIU for what would have been my 4th year.

Is it the new grads that are struggling? or even people who have been pharmacist for > 10 yrs.

 

[Sparda29]

Is it the new grads that are struggling? or even people who have been pharmacist for > 10 yrs.

Struggling in terms of pre-pharmacy coursework? My cumulative GPA back then was 3.1 and I didn't get interviews from most schools, only from new schools and even then, one was rejection and one was wait list. I've been reading that nowadays 2.5 will get you in?

 

[Splenda88]

Struggling in terms of pre-pharmacy coursework? My cumulative GPA back then was 3.1 and I didn't get interviews from most schools, only from new schools and even then, one was rejection and one was wait list. I've been reading that nowadays 2.5 will get you in?

To get a good job...

 

[Sparda29]

To get a good job...

Oh, I think everyone is struggling for that. Last time I was on the job hunt was voluntary because I was trying to get a job with a nicer schedule and closer to home, but despite my experience, they wouldn't offer me a pay beyond what their scale was. The top of their pay scale was below the new grad pay at my current location.

 

[mentos]

Struggling in terms of pre-pharmacy coursework? My cumulative GPA back then was 3.1 and I didn't get interviews from most schools, only from new schools and even then, one was rejection and one was wait list. I've been reading that nowadays 2.5 will get you in?

A rejection letter from medical, dental, PA, optometry, or physical therapy school will get you in.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

or have some other side gig.

Maybe they’re moonlighting as a “street pharmacist.” Get a reliable repeat customer like Hunter Biden and you’re golden!

#10%forthebigguy

Big Hoss

 

[confettiflyer]

It’s possible in certain geographic areas with specific overtime laws and institutional incentives, but not common for most pharmacists.

For the newbies, I’m outside San Francisco and work inpatient, non-union (surrounded by union). It would require me to a) jump to full-time night shift (7 on 7 off) and b) pick up one extra shift every week at regular rate.

That’s about $240k (a) + $56k (b) = $296k.

The hours required for (b) will drop if you pick up extra shifts within the same pay period such that you are in the mandated overtime multiplier of 1.5x.

 

[croquemonsieur]

Or maybe their "oncology specialist" positions are within pharmaceutical companies where $300K compensation is less of an outlier

 

[Chrish]

It’s possible in certain geographic areas with specific overtime laws and institutional incentives, but not common for most pharmacists.

For the newbies, I’m outside San Francisco and work inpatient, non-union (surrounded by union). It would require me to a) jump to full-time night shift (7 on 7 off) and b) pick up one extra shift every week at regular rate.

That’s about $240k (a) + $56k (b) = $296k.

The hours required for (b) will drop if you pick up extra shifts within the same pay period such that you are in the mandated overtime multiplier of 1.5x.

If you don’t mind sharing, what is your hourly rate ?

 

[knight on horse]

Assuming this is not /s, I would have recommended software engineering instead. Far more engineers earn $300k compared to pharmacists.

Yes, if you have a brain CS is far superior

 

[confettiflyer]

If you don’t mind sharing, what is your hourly rate ?

$110/hr base before differential, incentives, and other bonuses/multipliers.

For reference:
State mandated 1.5x OT for hours > 40/week

We are an Alternative Work Schedule site so hours > 10 in a single day get 1.5x, hours > 12 get 2x

Weekend differential is +$10/hr
Overnight differential is +$25/hr

Hospital incentives of about $500/shift if you pick up last minute shifts due to sick calls and stuff. Mostly for nurses but applies to pharmacy.

 

[khoanguyen1512]

my w2 last year was in the 200k last year with OT (400 hrs) and differential. I got one job and it is not in the California or nNewyork area. It is not common as other has stated but it is very possible. I think it depend on place and how much hours do you want to put in to get to that point.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

my w2 last year was in the 200k last year with OT (400 hrs) and differential. I got one job and it is not in the California or nNewyork area. It is not common as other has stated but it is very possible. I think it depend on place and how much hours do you want to put in to get to that point.

Assuming you work 8 hour shifts, 400 hours of OT is essentially a six day work week.

 

[khoanguyen1512]

Assuming you work 8 hour shifts, 400 hours of OT is essentially a six day work week.

i work 7 on 7 off 12 hrs shift with average 2-3 extra shift on my off week. so esentiall 10 days/2 weeks. There is not much to do on the weekday of my off week so i think it is beneficial to work those shifts that otherwise you wont do anything anyway.

 

[Sparda29]

i work 7 on 7 off 12 hrs shift with average 2-3 extra shift on my off week. so esentiall 10 days/2 weeks. There is not much to do on the weekday of my off week so i think it is beneficial to work those shifts that otherwise you wont do anything anyway.

You underestimate the value of not doing anything for a week.

 

[khoanguyen1512]

You underestimate the value of not doing anything for a week.

well i only prefer to work weekday so still have my 2 weekends/month intact. i dont work till 7 pm on monday of my working week so i can travel for the weekend. Why stay at home when you can make $100+ per hour.

 

[gwarm01]

well i only prefer to work weekday so still have my 2 weekends/month intact. i dont work till 7 pm on monday of my working week so i can travel for the weekend. Why stay at home when you can make $100+ per hour.

I might have felt this way in the past, but I am definitely at a point in my career where I value my time away from work more than a little bit of extra money. A quiet moment of serenity is worth more than an extra $1000 to me. This is also why I finally stopped selling my PTO.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

well i only prefer to work weekday so still have my 2 weekends/month intact. i dont work till 7 pm on monday of my working week so i can travel for the weekend. Why stay at home when you can make $100+ per hour.

All the power to you doing that while working nights.

 

[mentos]

I might have felt this way in the past, but I am definitely at a point in my career where I value my time away from work more than a little bit of extra money. A quiet moment of serenity is worth more than an extra $1000 to me. This is also why I finally stopped selling my PTO.

Same. Work is the last place I want to be on my days off.

 

[lord999]

If this is true, I doubt it is just on wages alone, but profit sharing of some sort or options. There's practicing pharmacists I know who make in that range after the profit sharing, particularly private psychiatric and private cosmetic. Valley in AZ was known for this (including one pharmacist retained on "special incentive" pay for discretion on VIP patients) as is a ranch that is around Kingman (those in AZ know that is the celebrity rehab center).

 

[Script1992]

View attachment 377405
Somebody in a Facebook group asked if they should go to pharmacy school and what is the projected income for pharmacists. Someone replied with this. So now a lot of people in that thread is convinced that pharmacy is a very lucrative career. Any truth to this 300k income reported by this person?

I thought that salary was for pharmacists who are MSL or in this case a MSL for the Oncology department at Regeneron

 

[Script1992]

Oh, I think everyone is struggling for that. Last time I was on the job hunt was voluntary because I was trying to get a job with a nicer schedule and closer to home, but despite my experience, they wouldn't offer me a pay beyond what their scale was. The top of their pay scale was below the new grad pay at my current location.

I learned that in my first job, a hospital job and I did not do a residency. they paid newer pharmacists higher than older pharmacists

 

[Sparda29]

I learned that in my first job, a hospital job and I did not do a residency. they paid newer pharmacists higher than older pharmacists

No that's not what happened with me.

At my current hospital, the pay scale is from $68-78/hr depending on experience level before differentials. I was getting $75/hour and then I got a 7% raise so that put me at $80.25 before the 10% differential ($88/hr with differential).

The hospital I applied at told me that their pay scale is $53-64/hour and they offered me $64/hour and wouldn't match my current rate.