Pharmacist: Job Duties, Skills and Salary 2025

What Does a Pharmacist do?

A Pharmacist is a healthcare professional responsible for dispensing prescription medications to patients and offering expertise in the safe use of prescriptions. They also provide advice on drug interactions, side effects, and dosage while ensuring that new medications are compatible with existing medications.

Pharmacists play a critical role in patient education and chronic disease management by conducting health and wellness screenings, providing immunizations, and overseeing the medications given to patients.

Additionally, they might be involved in research and the testing of new medications to ensure safety and efficacy. Their work is essential for maintaining public health in a community or hospital setting.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Pharmacists in the Pharmacy field handle essential tasks and contribute significantly to achieving team and organizational goals. Here are some of their primary responsibilities:

• Review prescription requests with doctors’ offices and insurance companies to ensure correct medications are provided and payment is received.
• Advise patients on medications, including how to take them, what reactions may occur, and answering patients' questions.
• Offer expertise regarding the composition of drugs, including their chemical, biological, and physical properties and their manufacture and use.
• Ensure medicines are stored appropriately and securely.
• Supervise the work of pharmacy technicians and pharmacists in training (interns).
• Keep up to date with current pharmacy practice, new drugs, and their uses.

How to Become a Pharmacist

Launching a career as a Pharmacist requires a specific education. We outline the essential qualifications, skills, and steps to enter this field.

Qualification

• Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from an accredited pharmacy program.
• Passing scores on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE).
• State-specific licensure, which requires ongoing continuing education and renewal.
• Experience in a clinical, retail, or hospital pharmacy setting.

Requirements & Skills

• Strong knowledge of drug administration and health and safety guidelines.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex issues to patients and other healthcare professionals.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage stress effectively.

Pharmacist Salary Guide

Wondering what Pharmacists earn? Explore salary ranges by experience, and career tips to maximize your earning potential.

The average salary for a Pharmacist in the U.S. is approximately $128,000 per year and can vary from entry-level to senior positions. Pharmacists may receive a wide range of benefits.

Pharmacist Salary Career Steps

Level	Experience	Avg. Salary per Year
Veteran	20+ years	$160,000
Senior	11+ years	$140,800
Experienced	6-10 years	$128,000
Mid Level	3-5 years	$115,200
Entry Level	0-2 years	$96,000

How to Advance Your Career

Pharmacists may start in community or hospital pharmacies and can advance to managerial positions, such as pharmacy manager or director of pharmacy, overseeing multiple locations or departments. Some pursue specializations in fields such as oncology, geriatrics, pediatric, or psychiatric pharmacy. Others move into academia, pharmaceutical industry roles, or research positions, contributing to drug development and clinical trials.

Typical Work Environment

Pharmacists typically work in pharmacies, which can be located within grocery stores, drug stores, hospitals, and clinics. The environment requires standing for long periods and interacting with the public. Those working in hospitals or clinics may have to work nights, weekends, or holidays. Community pharmacists often work more regular hours but may have extended retail hours.