Pharmacist Salary Thread

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stroodle said:
One big problem with deciding what is a "good doctor" or not is that a fancy waiting room in a fancy building can make people believe that the doctor is better than he or she actaully is. A fancier waiting room can justify a higher fee. In socialized HC where its free at the point of service, this isn't really a problem as all doctors are the same "fee"
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Well I don't know about UK, where I come from people normally do a little research about the doctor before showing him their guts. Thus a 'good' doctor makes significantly more than a bad one, while having the same salary.
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Taxes would go up for universal health care, but offset somewhat if you are not paying health ins premiums - also consider that a universal health care system would only need to cover its costs, not turn huge profits as insurance companies strive to do. For that matter, why the hell don't they have a universal car insurance program? I think it's funny that all states mandate car insurance if you want to drive - none of these insurance companies are in it to break even....they are for profit private companies. Meh, I guess I've always had ethical objections to that. I think actuaries can do risk managment for state run (or federal) systems just as well as private ones.

I'm all for universal health care, as long as the politicians keep lobbyists the hell out of their strategic planning when they figure out what works in other countries and piece together the best parts from each. Probably a very slim chance of keeping the lobbyist out of this process, if they don't prevent it from going foward in the first place.
 
Avrelian said:
You can delete all other stuff you wrote, and save letters in future. That reason alone is alpha and omega of opposition to socialized healthcare.
Uuuuh, lower salaries! Uuuh, no more aspirin at a $50 per pill! No more penis caps for $350, who could ever thought of that! The fact that all those 40 or 45 countries with higher life expectancy have socialized healthcare , and probably alltogether spend on healthcare less than US alone, means nothing, as long as I can charge whatever i want.
I feel sorry for healthcare workers with $ signs tatooed on their eyeballs.
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In the future, try writing a reply that makes sense. A mixed economy causes increased prices, not the supposed "capitalist" system we have. Privatize (including schools, fire, etc.), spend less.
 
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Hello all,

I have a friend who is contemplating going into pharmacy. I would like to know a typical average salary and numbers of hours/day in a retail place like Walgreens or CVS... Thanks! DP
 
Before I get onto salaries, I suggest you advise your friend to pursue pharmacy or any other career choice because he/she truly has an interest in the field itself and not the money it has to offer. Realize that he/she will spend anywhere from 6-8 years after high school taking scientifically oriented classes and advanced courses once he begins working on his actual Pharm.D. If your friend truly wants to earn money, realize that there other fields requiring less schooling and possibly even more money. So, your friend should contemplate other choices if the prime interest is money.

That aside, retail pharmacists typically make anywhere from $80,000 (low end, this is now increasingly more uncommon) to $120,000. Most pharmacists make about $100,000, but this varies with location. Walgreens and CVS pharmacists work the standard 40 hour week, although it is not uncommon or unheard of to work weekends, possibly nights (if it's a 24 hour pharmacy), and holidays. For more information about salaries, you should visit www.salary.com . You can also try visiting the U.S. Department of Labor/Occupational Outlook Handbook 2008-2009 edition on http://www.bls.gov/OCO/ for descriptive and statistical information on all different types of careers.
 
The standard workweek is averaged at Walgreens over a 2 week period and depends on how many hours your store is open. Hourly rate ranges *roughly* from $54-59 depending on your geographic location; i.e. if you are in an area where they need you, rates are higher, and visa-versa. Night shift (10pm-8AM) pays well (though I don't know the going rate), but it is popular and WAGS is known for having waiting lists for these positions in many geographic areas. WAGS hires EVERYBODY at the same rate, regardless of experience. I'm talking retail RPh jobs here, not specialty stuff.

Again, rates differ from region to region.
 
Dr. Dai Phan said:
Hello all,

I have a friend who is contemplating going into pharmacy. I would like to know a typical average salary and numbers of hours/day in a retail place like Walgreens or CVS... Thanks! DP
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The typical average salary depends on location (sign on bonuses alone can go up to 35k). For my area, it is 120k. Places that are in desparate need of pharmacists (rural kansas) can have salaries of 150k. The average work week is 40 hours with a lot of pharmacists working part time off the books.
 
Ready for a shocker? Consider the typical mortgage in the area for a 3 bedroom, add car payment, add normal typical expenses, add cost of supporting a family of 3, add the cost of social security, federal tax, health and additional insurance, etc. Now add to this cost of retirement as indicated by any of the investment firms. Shocker = the average salary will not cover all of the expenses. Another shocker = free and very low cost prescription programs will drive salaries down in this flooded field. You will have to be a very smart operator to come out ahead or even in the long term.
 
mortpes said:
Ready for a shocker? Consider the typical mortgage in the area for a 3 bedroom, add car payment, add normal typical expenses, add cost of supporting a family of 3, add the cost of social security, federal tax, health and additional insurance, etc. Now add to this cost of retirement as indicated by any of the investment firms. Shocker = the average salary will not cover all of the expenses. Another shocker = free and very low cost prescription programs will drive salaries down in this flooded field. You will have to be a very smart operator to come out ahead or even in the long term.
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If the average salary of a PHARMACIST will not be enough to retire comfortably on, it's time to leave the country. And since when did pharmacy become "flooded?"
 
mortpes said:
Ready for a shocker? Consider the typical mortgage in the area for a 3 bedroom, add car payment, add normal typical expenses, add cost of supporting a family of 3, add the cost of social security, federal tax, health and additional insurance, etc. Now add to this cost of retirement as indicated by any of the investment firms. Shocker = the average salary will not cover all of the expenses. Another shocker = free and very low cost prescription programs will drive salaries down in this flooded field. You will have to be a very smart operator to come out ahead or even in the long term.
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Just sold my viper based on this info.

Thanks for the heads up!
 
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Aznfarmerboi said:
:laugh::laugh::laugh: damn it. . . does this mean i shouldnt get the new GTR coming out next year? crap.
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My buddy from college (another 07 PharmD grad) was in the right place at the right time and threw a deposit down on a premium edition white pearl with an august delivery date. Ill post pics when he gets it.
 
mortpes said:
Ready for a shocker? Consider the typical mortgage in the area for a 3 bedroom, add car payment, add normal typical expenses, add cost of supporting a family of 3, add the cost of social security, federal tax, health and additional insurance, etc. Now add to this cost of retirement as indicated by any of the investment firms. Shocker = the average salary will not cover all of the expenses. Another shocker = free and very low cost prescription programs will drive salaries down in this flooded field. You will have to be a very smart operator to come out ahead or even in the long term.
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Give me a break. A six-figure salary of about $100k per year is not going to permit a comfortable life and allow for future retirement? This is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in a while. Following the logic that $100k per year is not sufficient to cover all of the above expenses, this means ALMOST NO ONE working in the United States will ever be able to see retirement and will live on scraps most of their working lives. Why? Well, guess what...the average American employee makes about $30,000 a year. Yet many of these people can support themselves and their families at least moderately well. What makes you think a person making 3-4 times that salary ($100k-120k) per year will have a difficult time? If that is the case, then almost everyone in America is doomed. Keep in mind that pharmacists' salaries are in the top 15%. As pharmacists, we will make more money than the great majority of the working citizens of this country. We will be fine.
 
DoctorRx1986 said:
Give me a break. A six-figure salary of about $100k per year is not going to permit a comfortable life and allow for future retirement? This is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in a while. Following the logic that $100k per year is not sufficient to cover all of the above expenses, this means ALMOST NO ONE working in the United States will ever be able to see retirement and will live on scraps most of their working lives. Why? Well, guess what...the average American employee makes about $30,000 a year. Yet many of these people can support themselves and their families at least moderately well. What makes you think a person making 3-4 times that salary ($100k-120k) per year will have a difficult time? If that is the case, then almost everyone in America is doomed. Keep in mind that pharmacists' salaries are in the top 15%. As pharmacists, we will make more money than the great majority of the working citizens of this country. We will be fine.
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You gotta love the haters bro.

If theyre hating this bad you know your doing something right.

Cheers!
 
DoctorRx1986 said:
Give me a break. A six-figure salary of about $100k per year is not going to permit a comfortable life and allow for future retirement? This is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in a while. Following the logic that $100k per year is not sufficient to cover all of the above expenses, this means ALMOST NO ONE working in the United States will ever be able to see retirement and will live on scraps most of their working lives. Why? Well, guess what...the average American employee makes about $30,000 a year. Yet many of these people can support themselves and their families at least moderately well. What makes you think a person making 3-4 times that salary ($100k-120k) per year will have a difficult time? If that is the case, then almost everyone in America is doomed. Keep in mind that pharmacists' salaries are in the top 15%. As pharmacists, we will make more money than the great majority of the working citizens of this country. We will be fine.
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I thought you were all worried about pharmacy not being lucrative because 2 pharmacists told you it wasn't...lol
 
mortpes said:
Ready for a shocker? Consider the typical mortgage in the area for a 3 bedroom, add car payment, add normal typical expenses, add cost of supporting a family of 3, add the cost of social security, federal tax, health and additional insurance, etc. Now add to this cost of retirement as indicated by any of the investment firms. Shocker = the average salary will not cover all of the expenses. Another shocker = free and very low cost prescription programs will drive salaries down in this flooded field. You will have to be a very smart operator to come out ahead or even in the long term.
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:laugh: apparently 100k/yr makes you poor. Welcome to the real world buddy. :rolleyes:
 
a friend who just graduated is making $66/hr in Corpus Christi, TX at CVS

would I go to CC for that? no, but she's from there, so going back home for that is sweet


(actually corpus isn't that bad, but I'll still just visit from time to time)
 
StallionRx said:
My buddy from college (another 07 PharmD grad) was in the right place at the right time and threw a deposit down on a premium edition white pearl with an august delivery date. Ill post pics when he gets it.
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Do it!!! I cant wait :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
mortpes said:
Ready for a shocker? Consider the typical mortgage in the area for a 3 bedroom, add car payment, add normal typical expenses, add cost of supporting a family of 3, add the cost of social security, federal tax, health and additional insurance, etc. Now add to this cost of retirement as indicated by any of the investment firms. Shocker = the average salary will not cover all of the expenses. Another shocker = free and very low cost prescription programs will drive salaries down in this flooded field. You will have to be a very smart operator to come out ahead or even in the long term.
Click to expand...

Wow! This is just about the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. I cover all that right now and live comfortably on 35K! Why wouldn't I be able to do it on 100k?
 
whether a 6 figure salary is enough? It depends on your lifestyle and values :)

I read recently in the paper about how Millionaires are suffereing b/c of the economy.... an upscale divorce lawyer in Manhattan talked about a guy who has been making recently ONLY 5 Million/year and has to take loans to support his wife's lavish life style.

Oh...I forget , in the same paper there was an ad from UNICEF saying: ONLY $50 would feed a child for one year in some place in this planet.

I think some people should visit poor communities to adjust their "must have" list and to relearn how to live.
 
norafena said:
whether a 6 figure salary is enough? It depends on your lifestyle and values :)

I read recently in the paper about how Millionaires are suffereing b/c of the economy.... an upscale divorce lawyer in Manhattan talked about a guy who has been making recently ONLY 5 Million/year and has to take loans to support his wife's lavish life style.

Oh...I forget , in the same paper there was an ad from UNICEF saying: ONLY $50 would feed a child for one year in some place in this planet.

I think some people should visit poor communities to adjust their "must have" list and to relearn how to live.
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well said
 
Can we close this thread? It's shallow and unnecessary.
 
I was wondering if anyone knew the salaries of pharmacists working in hospitals and in retail.

I've heard hospital pharmacists make less, but I'd like to know some actual figures.

Thanks!
 
It also depends on what part of the country you want to work in.
 
There used to be a huge difference between hospital and retail, with retail getting paid more. That's not so true these days, hospital is starting to pay better. It also depends on what part of the country you are living like mrblah said.
 
Average pharmacist salary in US is $102,000. In Texas, retail pharmacists make between $105,000 and $115,000.
 
sashagrl259 said:
I was wondering if anyone knew the salaries of pharmacists working in hospitals and in retail.

I've heard hospital pharmacists make less, but I'd like to know some actual figures.

Thanks!
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I called a local hospital and asked what the starting salary was a few months ago. They will only tell you if there is an opening. It was $39.50/hr. Seems low but I think Walgreens here is about $10 more an hour. Just call a hospital around where you want to work, if they have an opening they will probably tell you the starting salary.
 
A friend of mine recently got hired are a pharmacist at the hospital i work at ( he was an intern previously) and he makes $47 and change.
 
the thing is, in retail a new grad/hire makes the same amount (more or less) as someone who has been there 10 years.

In hospital, you get step increases every year, and within a few years will be making more than your retail counterparts. You may start out at fewer dollars per hour but in the end you'll make more as a hospital staff pharmacist than a staff retail pharmacist.
 
I've worked for a pharmacy manager at Longs who chooses to work 60 hours a week. (Five 12 hour shifts.) Regular pay is around $55/hour and overtime is around $83/hour. He's making $200k a year before taxes and his 401k.

I've also worked for a pharmacists at Longs who only works 28 hours a week. (The minimum needed for health/dental benefits.) She makes around $80k a year before taxes.

It depends on where you work and it depends on your desire to work overtime. Around here, you can work as little or as much as you want.



Hospitals around here pay $115-$120k, from what I've heard.
 
what if you switch hospital jobs (hospital to another hospital)? would u have to take a huge pay cut?

njac said:
the thing is, in retail a new grad/hire makes the same amount (more or less) as someone who has been there 10 years.

In hospital, you get step increases every year, and within a few years will be making more than your retail counterparts. You may start out at fewer dollars per hour but in the end you'll make more as a hospital staff pharmacist than a staff retail pharmacist.
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UTPharm said:
what if you switch hospital jobs (hospital to another hospital)? would u have to take a huge pay cut?
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I'm not 100% sure. I know they will pay based on experience but I don't know if they'll match your old job if you were there for 20 years or something.
 
CVS
Klemmentine said:
I've worked for a pharmacy manager at Longs who chooses to work 60 hours a week. (Five 12 hour shifts.) Regular pay is around $55/hour and overtime is around $83/hour. He's making $200k a year before taxes and his 401k.

I've also worked for a pharmacists at Longs who only works 28 hours a week. (The minimum needed for health/dental benefits.) She makes around $80k a year before taxes.

It depends on where you work and it depends on your desire to work overtime. Around here, you can work as little or as much as you want.



Hospitals around here pay $115-$120k, from what I've heard.
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CVS gets pretty insane when it comes to overtime. They hate paying overtime and whenever somebody does go overtime, the managers get yelled at by the district managers.
 
thats not true for all cvs...the pharmacists where I work are notorious for working overtime!!!
 
overtime separates the regular pharmacists from the rich pharmacists:laugh:.
 
Sparda29 said:
CVS

CVS gets pretty insane when it comes to overtime. They hate paying overtime and whenever somebody does go overtime, the managers get yelled at by the district managers.
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It probably depends on where you live. The districts around here usually have a page or two of pharmacist shifts that they need to fill each week. They're also opening a ton of new retail pharmacies here in the upcoming year or two, which will continue to drive up demand.

All of the retail chains use "relief pharmacists", but the relief service charges $95 an hour. (The relief pharmacist makes about $55 and the relief service gets the other $40.) It's cheaper for chains to use their own company's pharmacists and to just pay them overtime, which is about $85 an hour right now.

If you want to work overtime, they'll gladly give you the hours around here.
 
Hospitals start off less but its not long before you catch up with the retail because of your yearly increases. For example, I volunteered at a hospital and asked what the starting salary was, it was $47.00 an hour, now here's the math:

$47 x 80 = $97760
Year 1 increase 5% - $97760 x .05 = $102,648
Year 2 increase 5% - $102,648 x .05 = $107,780

Get what I'm saying, bumb retail I'm heading straight to a hospital and the hospital I volunteered at was a VA hospital so very few weekends and holidays too!
 
It's nice to hear that the VA pays so well. I'm looking into going there as well since I already have 8 years of government service through the Army.
 
What is the salary difference between having a pharmD vs. PGY1 vs PGY2/fellowship?
 
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