National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Pharmacists at $132,750/year. Pharmacists earn 116% more nationally. The gap is $71,200 per year — or $5,933 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Pharmacist
$132,750
national median/year
$11,063/mo • $64/hr
Annual salary gap
$71,200
Pharmacists earn 116% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $807,073.
Best states for Pharmacists
vs Plumbers
Maryland+$74,000
North Carolina+$74,000
Virginia+$74,000
Arizona+$72,000
Florida+$72,000
Best states for Plumbers
vs Pharmacists
Hawaii+$-56,000
Alaska+$-60,000
Illinois+$-60,000
New York+$-60,000
North Dakota+$-60,000
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Pharmacists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $132,750 for Pharmacists — a difference of $71,200 per year or $5,933 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Pharmacists is $71,200 per year. Pharmacists earn 116% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $807,073.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Plumbers the highest median salary at $82,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Pharmacists the highest median salary at $148,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Pharmacists earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters and Pharmacists 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, Plumbers earn approximately $30 per hour nationally and Pharmacists earn approximately $64 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.
