National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Pharmacists earn a national median of $132,750/year vs Pilots at $203,010/year. Pilots earn 53% more nationally. The gap is $70,260 per year — or $5,855 per month.
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Pharmacist
$132,750
national median/year
$11,063/mo • $64/hr
VS
Pilot
$203,010
national median/year
$16,918/mo • $98/hr
Annual salary gap
$70,260
Pilots earn 53% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $796,418.
Best states for Pilots
vs Pharmacists
California+$89,690
New York+$85,690
Virginia+$85,690
Washington+$85,690
New Jersey+$83,690
Best states for Pharmacists
vs Pilots
Mississippi+$-35,690
West Virginia+$-35,690
Arkansas+$-37,690
North Dakota+$-37,690
Alabama+$-43,690
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Pilots earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Pharmacists is $132,750 versus $203,010 for Pilots — a difference of $70,260 per year or $5,855 per month.
The national median salary gap between Pharmacists and Pilots is $70,260 per year. Pilots earn 53% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $796,418.
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 Pilots the highest median salary at $238,010 per year.
Salary is one factor — Pilots earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Pharmacists and Airline and Commercial Pilots 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 Pilots earn approximately $98 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.
