National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Project Managers earn a national median of $98,580/year vs Pharmacists at $132,750/year. Pharmacists earn 35% more nationally. The gap is $34,170 per year — or $2,848 per month.
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Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
VS
Pharmacist
$132,750
national median/year
$11,063/mo • $64/hr
Annual salary gap
$34,170
Pharmacists earn 35% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $387,327.
Best states for Pharmacists
vs Project Managers
Alaska+$50,000
Hawaii+$50,000
Mississippi+$44,000
Nevada+$44,000
North Dakota+$44,000
Best states for Project Managers
vs Pharmacists
Massachusetts+$-24,000
New York+$-24,000
Virginia+$-24,000
Washington+$-24,000
California+$-26,000
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Pharmacists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Project Managers is $98,580 versus $132,750 for Pharmacists — a difference of $34,170 per year or $2,848 per month.
The national median salary gap between Project Managers and Pharmacists is $34,170 per year. Pharmacists earn 35% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $387,327.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Project Managers the highest median salary at $122,320 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. Project Management Specialists 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, Project Managers earn approximately $47 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.
