Career guide

How to become a pharmacist

Education, licensing, training, and outlook from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 projections), with BLS May 2025 pay.

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Pharmacists, read October 23, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

Typical entry-level education: doctoral or professional degree. All states require pharmacists to be licensed, although licensure requirements vary. After completing their degree, prospective pharmacists typically must pass two exams to get a license. Applicants also must complete a state-specified number of hours as an intern. To maintain licensure, pharmacists must complete continuing education. Information on state licensing board requirements is available from CareerOneStop. BLS median pay: $140,910 a year (May 2025).

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Quick facts

2025 Median Pay: $140,910 per year $67.75 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education: Doctoral or professional degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation: None
On-the-job Training: None
Number of Jobs, 2025: 325,200
Job Outlook, 2025 to 2035: 5% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2025 to 2035: 17,100

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, read October 23, 2026. Publisher page

Steps to become a pharmacist (BLS)

Pharmacists typically need a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from an accredited pharmacy program. Every state requires pharmacists to be licensed.

Education

Pharmacists typically need a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from an accredited pharmacy program.

Admission requirements vary; however, Pharm.D. programs typically require applicants to have at least 2 years of prerequisite undergraduate courses in subjects such as anatomy and physiology, physics, and statistics. Some Pharm.D. programs require or prefer that applicants have a bachelor’s degree in biology, a healthcare and related, or a physical science field, such as chemistry.

Pharm.D. programs usually take 4 years to finish, although some programs offer a 3-year option. Others admit high school graduates into a 6-year program. Pharm.D. programs include courses in sciences, pharmacology, and pharmacy law. Students also complete supervised work experiences, sometimes referred to as internships, in settings such as hospitals and retail pharmacies.

Some pharmacy programs offer a dual-degree option. These programs allow students to get another graduate degree, such as a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) or a master’s degree in public health (MPH), along with their Pharm.D. degree.

Training

Following graduation from a Pharm.D. program, pharmacists seeking a clinical or other advanced position may opt to complete a residency or fellowship. These program typically last 1 to 2 years and provide additional training and research opportunities. Pharmacists who choose a 2-year residency program train in a specialty area such as cardiology, internal medicine, or pediatric care.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

All states require pharmacists to be licensed, although licensure requirements vary. After completing their degree, prospective pharmacists typically must pass two exams to get a license. Applicants also must complete a state-specified number of hours as an intern. To maintain licensure, pharmacists must complete continuing education. Information on state licensing board requirements is available from CareerOneStop.

In most states, pharmacists must be certified to administer vaccinations.

Pharmacists may choose to earn a certification to show advanced knowledge in a specific field. For example, a pharmacist may earn certification in a specialty area, such as emergency care or oncology. Certifications from professional organizations generally require applicants to have work experience and pass an exam. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop.

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One, read October 23, 2026. Publisher page

Job outlook, 2025 to 2035

Employment of pharmacists is projected to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 12,500 openings for pharmacists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

BLS employment projections
Occupation	SOC	Employment	Projected	Change %	Change
Pharmacists	29-1051	325,200	342,300	5%	17,100

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Job Outlook, read October 23, 2026. Publisher page

Pay

Median pay, BLS May 2025
Role	Median annual	Median hourly
Pharmacist	$140,910	$67.75

Highest-paying states: Alaska ($167,310), Oregon ($165,960), California ($164,610), Hawaii ($163,220), Washington ($160,610).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Questions

What degree do you need to be a Pharmacist?

BLS lists "Doctoral or professional degree" as the typical entry-level education.

Do pharmacists need a license?

What is the job outlook for pharmacists?