2024 Pharmacist Salary in Washington
Washington is a considerably favorable destination to work as a pharmacist, where your annual salary will be ranging from $101,340 to $166,520. On an average a pharmacist can expect to earn $134,290, annually. While working in Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue areas translates to the largest employment opportunities in the state, the highest salaries come from Seattle
Average Salary of Pharmacist in Washington
On an average, a pharmacist in Washington earns an annual salary of $134,290. If you are looking at working part-time, you can expect to earn an hourly wage of $64.56. A pharmacist in WA earns 6.84% more than the national average.
| Type | Average Salary |
| Hourly Wage | $64.56 |
| Monthly Salary | $11,190 |
| Annual Salary | $134,290 |
Pharmacist Salary by Experience in WA
In the beginning of your career as a pharmacist, you can expect to earn a starting salary of $101,340. Over a period of 20 years of work experience, you can expect to earn an annual salary of $166,520. Even if you stick on to your job for 5-9 years, your annual salary will go up to $131,080.
| Level of Experience | Hourly | Annual |
| Less than 1 year (Starting) | $48.72 | $101,340 |
| 1-4 years | $61.06 | $127,000 |
| 5-9 years | $63.02 | $131,080 |
| 10-19 years | $73.91 | $153,730 |
| 20 years or more | $80.06 | $166,520 |
Salary Growth (2017-2021)
Washington has seen a salary hike of 8.63% between 2017 and 2021. The salary growth has been consistent at just 1.8% every year, except in 2019, where salaries rose by 3.32% in 2021.| Year | Average Annual Salary | Growth |
| 2017 | $125,890 | 1.84% |
| 2018 | $127,360 | 1.17% |
| 2019 | $128,320 | 0.75% |
| 2020 | $129,970 | 1.29% |
| 2021 | $134,290 | 3.32% |
| Total | $10,670 | 8.63% |
Employment Growth (2017-2021)
Washington has had a fluctuating demand in pharmacy technicians in the five year period of 2017 to 2021. While there has been a fall in the requirement of pharmacists in 2018, only 2019, 2020 and 2021 has seen an encouraging employment growth rate of 6.97%, 7.33% and 10.77%.
| Year | Employment | Growth |
| 2017 | 5,940 | 0.68% |
| 2018 | 5,740 | -3.37% |
| 2019 | 6,140 | 6.97% |
| 2020 | 6,590 | 7.33% |
| 2021 | 7,300 | 10.77% |
| Total | 1,400 | 23.73% |
Industry Wise Income and Employment (2021)
Retail pharmacies employ the highest number of pharmacists, employing 2,940 and paying an annual salary $126,680. Outpatient Care Centers employ 170 pharmacists, the least in the state, and paying annual salaries of $161,020. On the other hand, working in a Hospitals will fetch you the second highest salary at $142,070.
| Industry | Employment | Hourly Salary | Annual Salary |
| Retail Pharmacies | 2,940 | $60.91 | $126,680 |
| Hospitals | 1,900 | $68.30 | $142,070 |
| Grocery Stores | 570 | $61.71 | $128,370 |
| Other General Merchandise Stores | 460 | $67.71 | $140,850 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 170 | $77.42 | $161,020 |
Washington Metro Wise - Salary and Employment (2021)
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue areas employ the largest number of pharmacists in the state of Washington. The highest pharmacist salaries come from Seattle, where annual salaries are $137,670, almost $11,980 higher than the national average; however the area employs around 4,150 pharmacists annually.
| AREA_TITLE | Employment | Hourly | Annual | Starting Salary | Experienced Salary |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | 4,150 | $66.19 | $137,670 | $109,660 | $167,140 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | 710 | $61.09 | $127,070 | $62,940 | $167,710 |
| Olympia-Tumwater | 270 | $64.50 | $134,160 | $105,470 | $168,330 |
| Kennewick-Richland | 220 | $61.01 | $126,890 | $100,310 | $164,200 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale | 200 | $63.40 | $131,880 | $104,120 | $164,070 |
| Yakima | 200 | $60.60 | $126,050 | $80,290 | $162,820 |
| Bellingham | 190 | $61.59 | $128,100 | $99,880 | $157,840 |
| Wenatchee | 130 | $63.39 | $131,860 | $119,710 | $166,520 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes | 100 | $63.31 | $131,680 | $103,580 | $162,880 |
| Longview | 90 | $64.09 | $133,320 | $99,270 | $166,520 |
| Walla Walla | 60 | $62.73 | $130,490 | $49,200 | $167,710 |
Pharmacist Employment Outlook in WA (2020-2030)
As of May 2020, there are 7,130 pharmacists employed in Washington. Retirement of pharmacists and change of career leads to a demand in pharmacists to fill in new as well as replacement positions. The BLS projects an employment growth rate of 16.69% through a period of 2020-2030. By 2030, there will be an added 530 pharmacists to the workforce.
University of Washington ,Albertsons Companies PeaceHealth, Providence Health & Services, Multicare Health System, WALGREENS, RPh on the Go, CareerStaff Unlimited, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle Children�s, Kadlec, Shopko, CHI Franciscan Health, Walmart and Evergreen Healthcare, where pharmacist in the state predominantly find employment.
| 2020 Employment | 2030 Employment | Percent Change | Projected Annual Job Openings | |
| Washington | 7,130 | 8,320 | 16.69% | 530 |
| United States | 323,500 | 331,100 | 2.35% | 13,600 |
Pharmacist Washington VS Pharmacist National
Washington pays its pharmacists salaries higher by 6.84% than the national average. The higher cost of living in the state and a consistent demand in job positions of pharmacists, consequently lead to higher pay scales.
| Type | Washington Salary | US Salary | Difference | % Difference |
| Hourly Wage | $64.56 | $60.43 | 4.13 | 6.84% |
| Monthly Salary | $11,190 | $10,470 | 720 | 6.88% |
| Annual Salary | $134,290 | $125,690 | 8,600 | 6.84% |
National Figures