Yes, Pharmacists do make more than RNs, but BSN/RNs make more than a 2 year RN. I know because my wife is an RN and I am pharmacist.
Some of these cocky young pharmacists brag about having a nice salary and a cushy job, but you screw up - which is not hard to do - your career can be finished! I will also say that as a pharmacist fresh out of school I signed with one of the major chain and began making $65,000 a year (1995) w/o sign-on bonus. I make about $25,000 more now, but I can guarantee that my salary won't increase much more. Pharmacists salaries tend to increase slowly and there is a cap at about 20 years service with a company. Nurses I think go through the same, but I know that Nurses with bachelors degrees make a bit more than LPNs/2 year RNs, moreover depending on where you work it can be significantly higher than the scant $17-$20 per hour. If a nurse wants to make more money - $60K-$140K then go to grad school and be a NP or CRNA. My wife will be an NP soon and her pay will skyrocket and she'll also have a bit more autonomy. But, I'll bet that CRNAs and NPs will be paying malpractice insurance just like doctors, in fact I think some CRNAs already do.
But, mark my word Pharmacist will be paying malpractice insurance before too much longer, especially with all the greedy lawyers out on the prowl. In fact, there is a lot of talk already about mandatory malpractice insurance for pharmacists. So some of you neophyte PharmDs enjoy it while it lasts!
I can say this Nursing does have a lot of pluses - like the ability to work in different areas - travel nursing, ICU, ER(excellent pay, but stressful), wound care and psychiatry. Pharmacist do have some specializations, but they don't the options and flexibility that nurses do.
As for nursing education, 2 year degrees and LPN programs will eventually be phased out for BSN/RNs. That should help the pay and prestige of nurses move up. I have even read in medical/nursing mags and journals that in 20 years you will see NurseDs (NDs) - Doctors of Nursing. It is the same phenomenon that happened to pharmacy a few years back. As I understand to get into nursing school in 20 years will be a more rigorous undertaking meaning that there will be a 2 year pre-nursing curriculum and then applying to nursing school with your previous coursework and nursing college entrance exam (just a speculation- but it will probably be called NCAT). But that is 20 years off, and if you are an BSN or NP by then you will probably be grandfathered into the NurseD title. It's what happened to me a few years ago. I came out of Pharmacy school with a Bachelors of Pharmacy - which are now defunct in lieu of PharmD. Personally, I think it was silly to change the whole thing! 👎
So nursing isn't so bad. I think nurses actually are more respected than pharmacists in a lot of ways. Pharmacists are even more respected than doctors in some areas too - especially their ability to call a doctor on a mistake.
Do what you like, but if you are in it for the money you will be sadly disappointed, especially when malpractice insurance becomes a reality for pharmacists. It probably won't be as expensive as what doctors pay, but it will suck to see a few thousand go to protect you from the medical malpractice attorneys. 🙁