Your pharmacy called and it’s time for the best states for pharmacists. My pharmacy calls me every day. Like, as in, nearly every day there is an automated phone call from Duane Reade to let me know that my prescription is ready. I appreciate it—actually as I write this I realize I need to pick it up. Luckily they will call me three more times today to remind me about it. You’d think my prescription was for amnesia medicine.
It’s not. I remember my pharmacy and my prescriptions and, especially, my pharmacist. Her name is Lauren and she is awesome. I ask her so many stupid questions. She answers them with such authority and aplomb. Okay, maybe a lot of the questions are some version of “can I drink booze while taking this?” But Lauren always gives me the scoop and I appreciate that about her.
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If you’re a pharmacist you may be wondering where the best place to live would be while you make your pharmaceutical pursuits. This is especially true if you are studying to become a pharmacist and want to plan out where the best state is for you to move after you’ve completed your training. Well good news, we, like Lauren, have the scoop. You might also be interested in the 9 Highest Paying Countries for Pharmacists.
Being a pharmacist isn’t easy. You need to make sure you tell all of the customers how to take the medication safely. Also, pharmacists do health and wellness screening and provide advice for healthier lifestyles. We decided to create this list because every person who worked so hard to become the best in its profession and put so much time and effort wants that time to pay off. We collected statistics from Bureau of Labor Statistics as our starting point for how much is the average annual wage and average hourly wage for pharmacists as well as the number of employees and then collected data from MERIC to see what is the living cost index in each state. We took the hourly wage for each state and the cost of living index in the same state and we found the best states for pharmacists.
25. South Carolina
Cost of living index: 100.5
Average annual wage: $120,410
Average hourly wage: $57.88
Number of employees: 4910
If you are a pharmacist and you are looking to find out which are the best states for pharmacists, you are lucky to find out that South Carolina is one of the states which are offering the best living as well as working conditions for pharmacists. Even though the cost of living index is a little higher than usual, despite the higher living index, you can cover all of your living expenses and live a comfortable life.
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24. Louisiana
Cost of living index: 94.4
Average annual wage: $113,910
Average hourly wage: $54.76
Number of employees: 4,170
Louisiana also found its way on our list because it has a low cost of living index, but the average annual salary is pretty good. Louisiana will allow you to enjoy every opportunity you will have while you are living a comfortable life and earning great as well. Hello Mardi gras!
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23. Minnesota
Cost of living index: 101.1
Average annual wage: $122,140
Average hourly wage: $58.72
Number of employees: 5,450
In Minnesota, you can forget about unpaid bills for living expenses and you can finally start living your dream. You may notice that Minnesota has a higher cost of living index compared to previously listed Louisiana, but it also has a higher average annual wage.
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22. Illinois
Cost of living index: 95.5
Average annual wage: $115,990
Average hourly wage: $55.76
Number of employees: 11,550
If you are a pharmacist who is looking which are the best states to move, you are lucky because Illinois may be perfect for you. The cost of living index in Illinois is pretty low but the average annual salary is great. This will allow you to live a comfortable life without financial problems on your mind while you are working your dream job.
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21. Arizona
Cost of living index: 98.1
Average annual wage: $119,600
Average hourly wage: 57.5
Number of employees: 6,000
Arizona is offering not only great living conditions but working as well–plus tons of iced tea in tall boy cans. The cost of living index is a little higher compared to Illinois, but the salary is also higher which means you will still cover all of your living expenses and you can enjoy every adventure Arizona has for you.
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20. Ohio
Cost of living index: 93
Average annual wage: $115,040
Average hourly wage: $55.30
Number of employees: 11,850
Are you tired of constantly worrying whether your salary will be enough to cover your expenses this month? Me too, spoiler alert only one of us really has to worry and it’s not you.
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19. Utah
Cost of living index: 92.8
Average annual wage: $114,830
Average hourly wage: $55.20
Number of employees: 2,410
You may wonder why Utah is after Ohio when the salary is a little bit lower, but you should also check the cost of living index. The cost of living index in Utah is 92.8 while in Ohio is 93, the difference is small but overall Utah is better for you as a pharmacist.
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18. New Mexico
Cost of living index: 95.7
Average annual wage: $118,790
Average hourly wage: $57.11
Number of employees: 1,690
Maybe New Mexico wasn’t even on your mind when you were looking for the states that offer great working and living conditions for pharmacists, but you should definitely give it a serious thought about moving here. The cost of living index in Mexico is pretty low, but the average annual wage is high.
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17. Wisconsin
Cost of living index: 96.9
Average annual wage: $122,020
Average hourly wage: $58.66
Number of employees: 5,440
Wisconsin also found its way on our list of best states for pharmacists. If you are looking for a state which will suit you the most and allow you to earn well, Wisconsin may be perfect for you–especially if you can do dairy.
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16. West Virginia
Cost of living index: 95.7
Average annual wage: $121,090
Average hourly wage: $58.21
Number of employees: 2,360
You already know that West Virginia, the number 16 in our list of best states for pharmacists is a great state which is offering low cost of living and great working conditions. But, did you know that West Virginia is also great for pharmacists in particular? Well, it is.
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15. Idaho
Cost of living index: 89.6
Average annual wage: $113,560
Average hourly wage: $54.59
Number of employees: 1,410
You probably first noticed the significantly lower salary in Idaho for pharmacists compared to previously listed West Virginia. But, considering the cost of living index, Idaho is offering better conditions for you as a pharmacist. Don’t let the numbers trick you, consider the living expenses you need to pay every day and you will see that even though West Virginia is offering a bigger paycheck, Idaho will work better because of the lower cost of living index. This may be the longest comparison ever made between these two states.
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14. Georgia
Cost of living index: 91.4
Average annual wage: $116,780
Average hourly wage: $56.14
Number of employees: 8,850
Georgia also found its way on our list of best states for pharmacists, because the cost of living index in Georgia is affordable and leaves you with plenty of money to go wild in Atlanta. In Georgia, with a salary like this, you can afford everything you ever wanted not worrying about everyday living expenses–unlike me, so congrats to one of us!
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13. Michigan
Cost of living index: 88.2
Average annual wage: $113,230
Average hourly wage: $54.43
Number of employees: 8,700
If you are tired of worrying about finances, you should definitely not follow my career path. However, you should consider moving to Michigan, seriously. In Michigan, the cost of living index is pretty low, but the average annual salary is pretty high. This means you can afford to live a comfortable life in Michigan without worrying about rent or bills. You’ll have to tell me about it sometime.
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12. Wyoming
Cost of living index: 91.7
Average annual wage: $118,370
Average hourly wage: $56.90
Number of employees: 550
If you decide to move to Wyoming, the number 12 in our list of best states for pharmacists, it will remind you every day why you moved here with its beauty. You probably already noticed that in Wyoming the cost of living index is a little higher compared to previously listed Michigan, but the average annual salary is also higher meaning you can afford to move, live and work as a pharmacist here.
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11. Kansas
Cost of living index: 90.4
Average annual wage: $117,380
Average hourly wage: $56.43
Number of employees: 3,150
In Kansas you will forget about all of your problems, get swept away by good old fashioned Kansas fun, and the effort you put to become a successful pharmacist will be paid off.
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10. North Carolina
Cost of living index: 94.2
Average annual wage: $122,870
Average hourly wage: $59.07
Number of employees: 9,420
When you started the list you saw South Carolina is on the list of best states for pharmacists, and you probably wondered what about North Carolina–is it safe to use the bathroom there? Are many of their state legislature raving morons? The answer to both is yes, for now. Is it good for pharmacists to move and work here? The answer is also yes.
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9. Arkansas
Cost of living index: 88.5
Average annual wage: $115,960
Average hourly wage: $55.75
Number of employees: 3,290
Arkansas also found its way on our list of best states for pharmacists and its low cost of living index and a high average annual salary significantly contributed to that. In Arkansas, you can forget about your financial problems and worry about learning to play the saxophone better than Bill Clinton.
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8. Indiana
Cost of living index: 87.9
Average annual wage: $115,230
Average hourly wage: $55.39
Number of employees: 6,370
You probably noticed that the numbers in Indiana and Arkansas are similar, but overall Indiana is a better state for pharmacists because the cost of living index is low and the average annual salary is $115,230 which is pretty high. Say hi to Gary for me.
7. Tennessee
Cost of living index: 89.8
Average annual wage: $118,310
Average hourly wage: $56.87
Number of employees: 8,060
We are continuing our list of best states for pharmacists with Tennessee that is like a country song–cheap and easy. Tennessee will make you forget about your problems and it will remind you every day why you choose to move, live and work here with its rural beauty.
6. Texas
Cost of living index: 90.7
Average annual wage: $120,480
Average hourly wage: $57.92
Number of employees: 21,120
Texas ranks 6th in our list of best states for pharmacists. It is not only offering a good working conditions for pharmacists, but also the ability to actually become a cowboy and wear a 10 gallon hat–or even a 9 gallon one if you slim down.
5. Oklahoma
Cost of living index: 88.6
Average annual wage: $117,800
Average hourly wage: $56.63
Number of employees: 3,800
Oklahoma is indeed one of the best states for pharmacists because it has a very low cost of living index and high salary. If you decide to move in this beautiful country, you should know that Oklahoma already employed more than 3,800 pharmacists and they are earning a great salary. Perhaps they’ll all end up your best friends?
4. Alabama
Cost of living index: 91.2
Average annual wage: $121,550
Average hourly wage: $58.43
Number of employees: 5,330
If you compare Alabama’s cost of living index to Oklahoma’s you can notice that there is a significant difference. But, you should also compare the average annual salary for pharmacists, if you did you know why Alabama is after Oklahoma on our list. Sounds like Alabama is one of those states which is offering great living and working conditions for well-educated people.
3. Missouri
Cost of living index: 90.8
Average annual wage: $121,080
Average hourly wage: $58.21
Number of employees: 6,310
In Missouri, the cost of living index is 90.8, but the average annual wage is $121,080. This means you can forget about your financial problems and start living your life you worked so hard for–day trips to St. Louis not included.
2. Kentucky
Cost of living index: 90.8
Average annual wage: $121,530
Average hourly wage: $58.42
Number of employees: 4,340
As a pharmacist you worked so hard to become one of the best in its profession, you should give a serious thought toward moving to Kentucky that ranked second in our list of best states for pharmacists. The cost of living index in Kentucky is 90.8, but the average annual wage of $121,530 can cover all of your daily living expenses including the ones which are eating the biggest part of your salary like bills and rent.
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1. Mississippi
Cost of living index: 86
Average annual wage: $120,300
Average hourly wage: $57.83
Number of employees: 2,740
Dang! You have reached the top, and if you still haven’t decided where to move or booked a ticket, you should consider the best state for pharmacists on our list. Mississippi’s cost of living index is pretty low compared to previously listed states, but the average annual wage is surprisingly high. Congrats Mississippi!
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These are the best states for pharmacists, but keep in mind that the numbers are calculated and this is the average annual and hourly wage for each state.
