Salary report · San Francisco, CA

What is the average Pharmacist salary in San Francisco, CA?

Pharmacists in San Francisco earn a median of $188,500 per year — about 42% above the national average. Pay ranges from $135,700 (25th percentile) to $292,200 (90th percentile).

25th percentile
$135,700
Median
$188,500
75th percentile
$241,300
90th percentile
$292,200
YoY change
+3.9%

Pharmacist salary by experience level

Entry · 0–2 yrs
$122,500
Mid · 3–5 yrs
$188,500
Senior · 6–8 yrs
$241,300
Lead · 8+ yrs
$273,300

How San Francisco pay compares

San Francisco median$188,500
National median$132,750
Cost-of-living adjusted(COL index 244)$77,300

Cost-of-living adjusted is the San Francisco salary translated into equivalent purchasing power vs the US average (COL index 100). Useful for comparing offers across cities.

5-year salary trend

$162K
2022
$168K
2023
$175K
2024
$181K
2025
$189K
2026

Trend extrapolated from BLS May 2024 BLS OEWS OEWS data using the latest year-over-year growth rate of 3.9%.

Pharmacist job market in San Francisco

San Francisco offers the highest tech salaries in the country but cost of living is brutal — particularly housing. Many roles offer remote/hybrid flexibility.

An estimated 3,100 pharmacists work in the San Francisco metro. Daily responsibilities typically include:

  • Verify and dispense prescriptions
  • Counsel patients
  • Check drug interactions
  • Manage pharmacy inventory
  • Administer immunizations

Related job salaries in San Francisco

Pharmacist salary in other cities

FAQ

How much does a Pharmacist make in San Francisco, CA?+

Pharmacists in San Francisco earn a median of $188,500 per year — about 42% above the national average of $132,750.

What's the entry-level Pharmacist salary in San Francisco?+

Entry-level Pharmacists in San Francisco typically earn around $122,500 per year. Salaries scale to about $273,300 at the senior level with 8+ years of experience.

Is $188,500 a good Pharmacist salary in San Francisco?+

$188,500 is the median, meaning half of Pharmacists in San Francisco earn more and half earn less. Adjusted for the city's cost-of-living index of 244, that's roughly $77,300 in nationally-equivalent purchasing power.

How fast is Pharmacist pay growing in San Francisco?+

Pharmacist salaries in San Francisco grew about 3.9% year-over-year in the latest BLS data. The 10-year national outlook for this role is +3%.

Where do Pharmacists in San Francisco get paid the most?+

The 90th percentile Pharmacist salary in San Francisco is around $292,200. These typically include senior, lead, or specialist roles at major employers.

Are you being paid fairly in San Francisco?

Run a free comparison against BLS data — see if your salary is below, at, or above the San Francisco median.

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