National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Pharmacists earn a national median of $132,750/year vs Occupational Therapists at $96,320/year. Pharmacists earn 27% more nationally. The gap is $36,430 per year — or $3,036 per month.
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Pharmacist
$132,750
national median/year
$11,063/mo • $64/hr
VS
Occupational Therapist
$96,320
national median/year
$8,027/mo • $46/hr
Annual salary gap
$36,430
Pharmacists earn 27% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $412,945.
Best states for Occupational Therapists
vs Pharmacists
Washington+$-32,000
Hawaii+$-34,000
New Jersey+$-34,000
Oregon+$-34,000
Arizona+$-36,000
Best states for Pharmacists
vs Occupational Therapists
North Dakota+$44,000
Ohio+$44,000
West Virginia+$44,000
Wisconsin+$44,000
Michigan+$42,000
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Pharmacists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Pharmacists is $132,750 versus $96,320 for Occupational Therapists — a difference of $36,430 per year or $3,036 per month.
The national median salary gap between Pharmacists and Occupational Therapists is $36,430 per year. Pharmacists earn 27% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $412,945.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Pharmacists the highest median salary at $148,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Occupational Therapists the highest median salary at $110,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Pharmacists earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Pharmacists and Occupational Therapists both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Pharmacists earn approximately $64 per hour nationally and Occupational Therapists earn approximately $46 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
