Pharmacists pay in California
$162,340avg. a year
$78.05 an hour · 34,030 employed
Pharmacists in California earn an average of $162,340 a year. That is $21,420 (15%) more than the U.S. average of $140,920. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $190,370.
$164,610Median pay
$78.05Average hourly
+11%Avg. pay since 2020
#1Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for pharmacists by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
11,960 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$190,370
$91.53 an hour
2180 jobs
Napa, CA
$186,750
$89.78 an hour
33,670 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$184,540
$88.72 an hour
4330 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$175,910
$84.57 an hour
52,310 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$169,660
$81.57 an hour
6350 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$169,600
$81.54 an hour
7240 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$168,490
$81.00 an hour
82,840 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$167,490
$80.52 an hour
9260 jobs
Salinas, CA
$164,590
$79.13 an hour
10890 jobs
Fresno, CA
$163,710
$78.71 an hour
1190 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$163,300
$78.51 an hour
12170 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$162,700
$78.22 an hour
13290 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$161,780
$77.78 an hour
14530 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$159,860
$76.86 an hour
15380 jobs
Modesto, CA
$159,840
$76.84 an hour
16600 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$158,780
$76.34 an hour
17160 jobs
Redding, CA
$157,380
$75.67 an hour
18160 jobs
Chico, CA
$157,060
$75.51 an hour
193,400 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$156,870
$75.42 an hour
20310 jobs
Visalia, CA
$156,150
$75.07 an hour
21120 jobs
Merced, CA
$155,620
$74.82 an hour
2290 jobs
El Centro, CA
$153,750
$73.92 an hour
23140 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$153,710
$73.90 an hour
24630 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$153,570
$73.83 an hour
2512,450 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$151,100
$72.65 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Pharmacists pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California pharmacists work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $136k$136k–$139k$139k–$142k$142k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $140,920 | $67.75 |
| California | $162,340 | $78.05 |
| Oregon | $159,230 | $76.56 |
| Arizona | $142,330 | $68.43 |
| Nevada | $139,530 | $67.08 |
Related jobs in California
- Registered Nurses$150,280
- Physicians, All Other$249,620
- Nurse Practitioners$176,760
- Physical Therapists$122,580
- Dental Hygienists$128,110
- Speech-Language Pathologists$118,600
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do pharmacists make in California?
The average is $162,340 a year, and the median is $164,610. That is $21,420 (15%) more than the U.S. average of $140,920.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$78.05 an hour on average; the median is $79.14.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($190,370), followed by Napa, CA ($186,750). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($151,100).
How does California rank?
California ranks #1 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 29-1051. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national pharmacists page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.