National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Pharmacists earn a national median of $132,750/year vs Welders at $47,990/year. Pharmacists earn 64% more nationally. The gap is $84,760 per year — or $7,063 per month.
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Pharmacist
$132,750
national median/year
$11,063/mo • $64/hr
VS
Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
Annual salary gap
$84,760
Pharmacists earn 64% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $960,780.
Best states for Welders
vs Pharmacists
North Dakota+$-65,330
Wyoming+$-65,330
Louisiana+$-67,330
Oklahoma+$-69,330
Montana+$-71,330
Best states for Pharmacists
vs Welders
California+$91,330
Connecticut+$85,330
Maryland+$85,330
Massachusetts+$85,330
New Hampshire+$83,330
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Pharmacists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Pharmacists is $132,750 versus $47,990 for Welders — a difference of $84,760 per year or $7,063 per month.
The national median salary gap between Pharmacists and Welders is $84,760 per year. Pharmacists earn 64% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $960,780.
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, Alaska pays Welders the highest median salary at $66,990 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 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 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 Welders earn approximately $23 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.
