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Pharmacist - Federal Salaries of 2015
Pay Rates for "Pharmacist"
How much does a Pharmacist in the federal government get paid? $113,962.96* *Based on the 2015 average.Pharmacist was the 36th most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2015, with 9,598 employed. The most common payscale was the general schedule payscale.
In 2015, the Veterans Health Administration hired the most employees titled Pharmacist, with an average salary of $116,150.
Government Pharmacist jobs are classified under the General Schedule (GS) payscale. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
This occupation includes all positions which involve professional and scientific work in the field of pharmacy. The work typically involves the compounding of prescriptions of physicians, dentists, and other licensed practitioners; the formulation, preparation, bulk compounding, selection, dispensing and preservation of drugs, medicines, and chemicals; research and investigation in developing special vehicles or variations of standard formulas to meet the needs of individual patients and in developing original techniques of compounding and making available for use new investigational drugs; advising on drug therapy and usage; or performing administrative, consultive, or staff advisory work concerning the administration of a pharmacy program for hospital, clinic, or other medical care facility. Some positions involve the evaluation of drug proposals submitted by private industry and the surveillance of marketed drugs for safety and efficacy.
Agencies that have hired a Pharmacist
| Agency | Employees Hired | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Health Administration | 8,627 | $116,150.37 |
| Food and Drug Administration | 336 | $114,138.14 |
| Office Secretary Health and Human Services | 314 | $63,849.49 |
| Indian Health Service | 186 | $99,586.92 |
| National Institutes of Health | 88 | $111,844.03 |
| Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services | 21 | $121,252.76 |
| Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System | 18 | $87,747.89 |
| Health Resources and Services Administration | 3 | $126,563.00 |
| U.S. Agency for International Development | 2 | $124,423.50 |
| Program Support Center | 1 | $115,759.00 |
| Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | 1 | $78,002.00 |
| Nuclear Regulatory Commission | 1 | $155,502.00 |
Pharmacist Pay Distribution
The average pay for a Pharmacist is $113,962.96. The highest paid Pharmacist made $204,978 in 2015.
Common Pharmacist Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Pharmacist Employees |
|---|---|
| GS - General Schedule | 8,862 |
| AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not E | 655 |
| EI - Advisory Committee Member (other) | 70 |
| RG - Code For Use By Hhs Only. | 7 |
| RF - Code Is For Use By Hhs Only. | 2 |
| EG - Consultant (other) | 1 |
| SR - Statutory Rates Not Elsewhere Specified | 1 |
| Category: | N/A |
| Occupation Family: | 0600 MEDICAL, HOSPITAL, DENTAL, AND PUBLIC HEALTH GROUP |
Average Pharmacist Pay Trend from 2004 to 2021
In 2004, the average pay for a Pharmacist was $84,245. Since then, the average pay has increased to $131,753 in 2021.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 0660.