Job Outlook About this section
Employment is expected to increase
faster than the average. As a result of job growth, the need to replace workers who leave the occupation, and the limited capacity of training programs, job prospects should be
excellent.
Employment change. Employment of pharmacists is expected to grow by 17 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is faster than the average for all occupations. The increasing numbers of middle-aged and elderly peoplewho use more prescription drugs than younger peoplewill continue to spur demand for pharmacists throughout the projection period. In addition, as scientific advances lead to new drug products, and as an increasing number of people obtain prescription drug coverage, the need for these workers will continue to expand.
Pharmacists also are becoming more involved in patient care. As prescription drugs become more complex, and as the number of people taking multiple medications increases, the potential for dangerous drug interactions will grow. Pharmacists will be needed to counsel patients on the proper use of medication, assist in drug selection and dosage, and monitor complex drug regimens. This need will lead to rapid growth for pharmacists in medical care establishments, such as doctors offices, outpatient care centers, and nursing care facilities.
Demand also will increase in mail-order pharmacies, which often are more efficient than pharmacies in other practice settings. Employment also will continue to grow in hospitals, drugstores, grocery stores, and mass retailers, because pharmacies in these settings will continue to process the majority of all prescriptions and increasingly will offer patient care services, such as the administration of vaccines.
Job prospects. Job prospects are expected to be excellent over the 200818 period. Employers in many parts of the country report difficulty in attracting and retaining adequate numbers of pharmacistsprimarily the result of the limited training capacity of Pharm.D. programs. In addition, as a larger percentage of pharmacists elects to work part time, more individuals will be needed to fill the same number of prescriptions. Job openings also will result from faster than average employment growth and from the need to replace workers who retire or leave the occupation for other reasons.
Projections Data About this section
Projections data from the National Employment Matrix
Occupational Title
SOC Code
Employment, 2008
Projected
Employment, 2018
Change,
2008-18
Detailed Statistics
Number
Percent
Pharmacists
29-1051
269,900
315,800
45,900
17
NOTE: Data in this table are rounded. See the discussion of the employment projections table in the
Handbook introductory chapter on
Occupational Information Included in the Handbook.
Earnings About this section
Median annual wages of wage and salary pharmacists in May 2008 were $106,410. The middle 50 percent earned between $92,670 and $121,310 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $77,390, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $131,440 a year.
This is from the Gov. Occupational handbook
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