National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Police Officers earn a national median of $72,280/year vs Pharmacists at $132,750/year. Pharmacists earn 84% more nationally. The gap is $60,470 per year — or $5,039 per month.
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Police Officer
$72,280
national median/year
$6,023/mo • $35/hr
VS
Pharmacist
$132,750
national median/year
$11,063/mo • $64/hr
Annual salary gap
$60,470
Pharmacists earn 84% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $685,445.
Best states for Pharmacists
vs Police Officers
New Hampshire+$70,000
North Carolina+$70,000
South Carolina+$68,000
Tennessee+$68,000
Virginia+$68,000
Best states for Police Officers
vs Pharmacists
California+$-40,000
New Jersey+$-46,000
Alaska+$-54,000
Connecticut+$-54,000
Illinois+$-54,000
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Pharmacists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Police Officers is $72,280 versus $132,750 for Pharmacists — a difference of $60,470 per year or $5,039 per month.
The national median salary gap between Police Officers and Pharmacists is $60,470 per year. Pharmacists earn 84% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $685,445.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Police Officers the highest median salary at $108,320 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. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers 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, Police Officers earn approximately $35 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.
