What is the lowest pharmacist wage in units of dollars per hour that you have ever heard of and or h

[Judgment Dragon]

What is the lowest pharmacist wage in units of dollars per hour that you have ever heard of and or heard of for a working pharmacist in the USA?

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[bacillus1]

I've seen a few federal jobs advertise in the low 40s (and these are ones that don't give you a housing allowance).

 

[BidingMyTime]

I've seen a few federal jobs advertise in the low 40s (and these are ones that don't give you a housing allowance).

Yeah, federal jobs are the lowest wages I've seen advertised (and since I didn't apply for those jobs, I don't know how willing they were to negotiate a higher salary.) The big draw with federal jobs is a fantastic pension after 20 years.

 

[farmadiazepine]

$45.33/hr is what I am getting right now. It sucks major as* but it is a job with a pension in addition to a 401k. Yes, it totally sucks. I sometimes think I took a step backwards from making $65/hr at a pharmacy with daytime hours and a good schedule to working evenings and making only $45.33/hr. Only time will tell.

 

[RxStudentatUB]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/pharmacy-job-market-outlook.639184/page-63#post-16888657

Looks like northeast metro areas (retail) are hit pretty bad with reports of mid $40s/hour ... in retail sweat shops mind you. Southeast/Gulf coast Louisiana is where it's at right now apparently - upper $50's per hour. Probably the same for rural TX, mid $50's/hour. I think California even has reports of mid $60s/hour, but their COL is astronomically high.

 

[steveysmith54]

I have heard of an independent offering an out state grad 28 dollars an hour with no experience.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

A hospital in the Southern Pittsburgh suburbs offered my wife $36/hour back in 2011.

 

[Judgment Dragon]

A hospital in the Southern Pittsburgh suburbs offered my wife $36/hour back in 2011.

Did your wife take that offer?

 

[WVUPharm2007]

No. We moved to Philly.

 

[Old Timer]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/pharmacy-job-market-outlook.639184/page-63#post-16888657

Looks like northeast metro areas (retail) are hit pretty bad with reports of mid $40s/hour ... in retail sweat shops mind you. Southeast/Gulf coast Louisiana is where it's at right now apparently - upper $50's per hour. Probably the same for rural TX, mid $50's/hour. I think California even has reports of mid $60s/hour, but their COL is astronomically high.

You have data to backup mid $40.00 per hour in retail sweat shops.....

 

[bacillus1]

Yeah, federal jobs are the lowest wages I've seen advertised (and since I didn't apply for those jobs, I don't know how willing they were to negotiate a higher salary.) The big draw with federal jobs is a fantastic pension after 20 years.

Pension isn't so good anymore...new hires have to contribute 4.4% of their salary toward it...but I guess better than nothing.

 

[BMBiology]

Pension isn't so good anymore...new hires have to contribute 4.4% of their salary toward it...but I guess better than nothing.

4.4% is based on pre or after tax salary?

 

[gwarm01]

During a recent performance review I was shown the range of pay for everyone in the health system with my title. It went from $40 to $64/hr. I have to wonder if the person who accepted $40 would ever get to the high end.

 

[MatCauthon]

During a recent performance review I was shown the range of pay everyone in the health system with my title. It went from $40 to $64/hr. I have to wonder if the person who accepted $40 would ever get to the high end.

That is an astute observation. Most hospitals create budgets years in advance and closely watch annual pay raises.
If anything gets too far away from the 'market price' they actively work to reset starting wages and annual COLAs/wage increases. There are organizations that research market pricing and hospitals pay premium dollar for that information.
Decreased starting wages is a bad thing for all pharmacists.

 

[BenJammin]

Too lazy to convert salary to hourly (by the way, aren't most positions salaried anyways? why are we talking hourly wage?) but lowest I've seen for retail was $91k for Walgreens in Arlington, TX.

 

[gwarm01]

Too lazy to convert salary to hourly (by the way, aren't most positions salaried anyways? why are we talking hourly wage?) but lowest I've seen for retail was $91k for Walgreens in Arlington, TX.

Wow, that's $43.75/hr for retail. In Texas of all places. There seems to be a myth here in Florida that Texas pays top dollar for pharmacists.

 

[sosoo]

Wow, that's $43.75/hr for retail. In Texas of all places. There seems to be a myth here in Florida that Texas pays top dollar for pharmacists.

while it appears low. but it isn't. Texas doesn't collect taxes.

 

[bacillus1]

4.4% is based on pre or after tax salary?

Pre tax 🙁 Mine is 3.1% since I got hired in 2013, but still a lot. Whether you contribute 0.8, 3.1 or 4.4% (depending on what year you got hired), it's still the same pension.

 

[gwarm01]

while it appears low. but it isn't. Texas doesn't collect taxes.

I made more than that fresh out of school at a hospital in Florida, also no income tax. That is low, my friend. Especially for retail.

 

[MatCauthon]

while it appears low. but it isn't. Texas doesn't collect taxes.

That is low regardless of taxes.

 

[rxdawg21]

Bacillus is unfortunately wrong on the pension. The 4.4% is after taxes. So I pay taxes, then they take it from me so its even worse. He is right one the scale however, we get 1% per year worked (average of 3 years highest salary) and 1.1% if you stay 30 years. Extrapolating out modest cost of living increases of 1% a year to our top salary bracket at my job (currently 124,500) after 30 years my retirement will be about $55k on a retirement salary of 167. I sure hope we get a minimum of 1% COLA every year to our salary scale.

 

[Dred Pirate]

Bacillus is unfortunately wrong on the pension. The 4.4% is after taxes. So I pay taxes, then they take it from me so its even worse. He is right one the scale however, we get 1% per year worked (average of 3 years highest salary) and 1.1% if you stay 30 years. Extrapolating out modest cost of living increases of 1% a year to our top salary bracket at my job (currently 124,500) after 30 years my retirement will be about $55k on a retirement salary of 167. I sure hope we get a minimum of 1% COLA every year to our salary scale.

after taxes? That sucks, I thought all retirement plans took out before taxes. What is the formula they use to calculate your pension value? We have one in addition to our 403b. We get 1% of our final salary for every year we work. If I work 30 years I get 30% of my final salary. This is with no contribution on my own and in addition to 403b

 

[rxdawg21]

I thought so too until I researched it and looked at my earnings and leave statement. Fortunately, a portion of my pension will be untaxed as I had already paid taxes on a 4.4% of the contributions. That portion is miniscule and is dragged out over 20+ years so if you die early you get screwed. Our retirement is 1% of your highest 3 years averaged, if you stay for 30 years you get 1.1%. If I stay until age 57 (my retirement age according to the govt) I will have put in 31 years. or 34.1% of my pay. I hope to accumulate enough wealth to retire by then. Earlier if I get lucky.

 

[bacillus1]

Bacillus is unfortunately wrong on the pension. The 4.4% is after taxes. So I pay taxes, then they take it from me so its even worse. He is right one the scale however, we get 1% per year worked (average of 3 years highest salary) and 1.1% if you stay 30 years. Extrapolating out modest cost of living increases of 1% a year to our top salary bracket at my job (currently 124,500) after 30 years my retirement will be about $55k on a retirement salary of 167. I sure hope we get a minimum of 1% COLA every year to our salary scale.

Sorry I must have used the wrong terminology. I meant that it's 4.4% of pre-tax income, not 4.4% of your after-tax income. Yes, your whole income, including that 4.4%, is taxed. Point is, it's really not that good of a deal. I'm out of here once my EDRP is done.

 

[rph3664]

I have heard of an independent offering an out state grad 28 dollars an hour with no experience.

My first pharmacist job was $23 an hour. That was in 1994, and was comparable to what others were making around here. Our salaries HAVE outpaced inflation, big time.

I had a friend who graduated in 1969, and there was one year in the early 1970s where she made about $11,000.