National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Pharmacists earn a national median of $132,750/year vs Physical Therapists at $99,710/year. Pharmacists earn 25% more nationally. The gap is $33,040 per year — or $2,753 per month.
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Pharmacist
$132,750
national median/year
$11,063/mo • $64/hr
VS
Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
Annual salary gap
$33,040
Pharmacists earn 25% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $374,518.
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Pharmacists
Arizona+$-30,000
Hawaii+$-30,000
Delaware+$-32,000
Alaska+$-34,000
California+$-34,000
Best states for Pharmacists
vs Physical Therapists
Maryland+$42,000
Illinois+$40,000
Massachusetts+$40,000
Michigan+$40,000
Mississippi+$40,000
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Pharmacists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Pharmacists is $132,750 versus $99,710 for Physical Therapists — a difference of $33,040 per year or $2,753 per month.
The national median salary gap between Pharmacists and Physical Therapists is $33,040 per year. Pharmacists earn 25% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $374,518.
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 Physical Therapists the highest median salary at $114,320 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 Physical 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 Physical Therapists earn approximately $48 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.
