pharma phd salary

Jobs for Pharm.D. vs. Ph.D. — What’s the Difference?

Written by Kelly Tomory

April 20, 2023

Here’s something you might not know about pharmacists — pharmaceutical professionals can choose to focus their career on either patient care or research. In fact, there’s a different degree for each path.

A Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) prepares students to become Pharmacists focused on patient care, while a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) prepares students for careers in academia or research and development.

Both patient-care and research positions within pharmacy are similar in that students receive formal training and education in common subjects such as drug development, drug delivery, and medicine chemistry, but their career paths and opportunities differ in several ways.

Let’s talk about the difference between patient-care and research within the field of pharmacy.

The Patient-Care Track vs. the Research Track

The Pharm.D. track is a four-year program — ending with Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotations and two personal and professional development courses. Once patient-care focused pharmacists enter the workforce, job opportunities after Pharm.D. focus on an individual’s treatment options when it comes to prescription pharmaceuticals. Pharmacists typically work as providers at pharmacies or hospitals throughout their career, and it is possible to advance into management positions.

The research track of pharmacology (Ph.D.) on the other hand, often extends beyond four years and ends in an extensive research project. Pharmacology researchers, generally, work on molecular targeting, drug design, and drug delivery in developing new approaches to treat disease. Research professionals may operate as researchers at universities, hospitals, private corporations, or laboratories. Many choose to work as professors within universities in addition to research work, but they do not serve as health care providers.

How to Become a Pharmacist — Types of Pharmacy Degrees

Doctor of pharmacy.

The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) includes a mix of classroom instruction and real-world experience to provide students with the skills to excel in pharmacy. The school targets active learning in at least 30 percent of each student's educational track. This cooperative learning model ensures that graduates have the communication skills and practical experiences to pass licensing exams and achieve pharmacist career path.

What Do Pharmacists Learn?

The program works closely with the College of Medicine to foster a team-oriented approach to pharmacy and medicine. The College of Pharmacy has two departments: pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy practice.

Ph.D. Programs

Students interested in research have a number of opportunities related to biomedical sciences. Graduate students receive a mix of classroom instruction and real-world research experience by working alongside faculty.

Pharmacology is the research side of the Pharm.D. program. Students in this area may develop expertise in molecular targeting, drug design, and drug delivery in specific response to disease. The program uses a combination of classroom instruction, laboratory work, and the opportunity to work alongside faculty at NEOMED and Kent State University. Prior to starting a Ph.D. program, most students will need to earn a master’s degree after their four-year degree. Some programs may integrate the master’s and Ph.D. degrees where one builds upon the other.

Comparing the Job Markets for Pharm.D. vs. Ph.D.

Pharmacists.

In 2019, the median pharmacist salary was $128,090. For pharmacists, the number of hospital jobs is expected to grow by 4 percent by 2028. Pharmacists take prescriptions from medical doctors and administer medications to patients. They are also qualified to ask questions and provide information regarding the medicines they prescribe. The majority of pharmacists work in pharmacies within retail stores or medical facilities although the field is evolving with more and more recent graduates electing to work in clinical settings. There are even niche sectors of medicine different types of pharmacists can specialize in with a year or two of residency after graduation. 

Working as a pharmacist requires a Doctor of Pharmacy, known as a Pharm.D., which is a four-year degree. They are also required to pass two exams related to licenses.

Medical Researchers

Medical researchers (M.S. and Ph.D.) earned a median annual salary of $88,790 in 2019, and the field is expected to grow by 6 percent, which is a bit faster than the national average. Most researchers work full time in either a laboratory or a general office environment. These positions are responsible for the study of medical conditions and the development of treatments and medicines.

Working in this field usually requires a Ph.D., but many candidates are able to obtain rewarding positions based on experience or other academic accomplishments. For example, some medical researchers also have a medical degree in addition to a medical research background.

Jumpstart Your Health Care Career at NEOMED — Connect With Us!

Take the next step toward an exciting career in the medical field — we can help you get started.

If you need help deciding which of the above career paths is best for you, we invite you to schedule a career consultation with us. In order to do so, contact the College of Pharmacy at [email protected] or schedule a meeting . Best of luck!

Want to learn more about health care careers after NEOMED? Download our resource, "Getting a Job as a Medical Professional with Your Health Care Degree".

About the author

Kelly tomory.

Assistant Director of Admission

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What can you do with a pharmacy degree, what do you learn in pharmacy school here are 6 surprising things, what does it take to become a pharmacist.

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Teach.com / Online Education / Healthcare Degrees / Online Doctor of Pharmacy Programs (PharmD) / Pharmacy Doctorate Salary and Career Outlook

Obtaining a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree opens the door to a career in pharmacy. If you are extremely detail-oriented, have an interest in obtaining a doctoral degree and enjoy helping people live healthier lives, a job in pharmacy may be a good fit for you. But working at a drug store isn’t your only pharmacy doctorate career option. Keep reading to learn more about pharmacy doctorate salaries and careers.

Earn Your Pharm.D. Online From St. John Fisher University

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What Can You Do With a Pharmacy Doctoral Degree?

Earning a pharmacy degree prepares you to work as a pharmacist. Though PharmD jobs vary, they likely have some similar job functions.  Some common duties of a pharmacist may include :

• Filling prescriptions for patients, checking the doctor’s instructions and making sure the patient won’t experience dangerous interactions between their medications
• Educating patients about the safe and appropriate use of their prescriptions
• Advising patients about over-the-counter medications, weight-loss strategies, stress management and more
• Monitoring the work of pharmacist trainees, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants
• Maintaining meticulous records

In most states,  people who become pharmacists  can also administer vaccinations. Some pharmacists may own the pharmacies they work at or manage chain pharmacies. These pharmacy doctorate careers also involve administrative tasks, such as scheduling personnel and managing inventory.

Becoming a Doctor of Pharmacy means obtaining a PharmD degree. It’s a good idea to choose a PharmD program accredited by the  Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education  (ACPE). This denotes a program that offers the training necessary to sit for the required licensing examinations and provide sound patient care. There are ACPE-accredited  online PharmD programs  available, making advancement in pharmacy careers convenient.  Pharmacists in all states must be licensed.  Specific licensure requirements vary by state but generally involve completing an accredited program and passing the  North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX)  and  Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE)  or a state-specific test.

What Career Paths are Possible With a Doctorate in Pharmacy?

So where do pharmacists work? While community  pharmacies and drug stores are the most common workplace for pharmacists , there are many other pharmacy doctorate career options to consider. Below are some PharmD career options and workplaces you may consider.

Clinical Pharmacy Jobs

Working as a clinical pharmacist gives a pharmacist the opportunity to collaborate with physicians in various clinical settings to provide direct patient care. Patients with chronic conditions, pain management challenges or other complex health problems may take many medications each day. A clinical pharmacist assesses the patient’s needs and devises a pharmacological plan that avoids dangerous drug interactions while helping the patient feel and live better. In this pharmacy doctorate career, you manage the dosage and timing of patients’ medications.

If you’re interested in collaborating with other health care experts and providing direct patient care and communication in a clinical health care setting, working as a clinical pharmacist may be a path worth pursuing. Clinical pharmacists may work at long-term care facilities, pain management clinics, cardiac care centers, family health practices and many other types of patient care locations.

Home Health Care Jobs

Pharmacists working in home health care may provide complex medication therapies to patients in their homes or in places such as assisted living facilities. Home health care pharmacy may involve administering intravenous drugs. In this pharmacy doctorate career, you may also help patients (and possibly relatives or other members of their care team) keep track of their oral medication regimens and dietary supplements.

Because of the travel involved and the complexity of each patient’s care plan, home health pharmacists tend to work with fewer patients than pharmacists in other specialties. Home health care pharmacists may collaborate with hospice organizations, social services agencies, assisted living organizations or home nursing programs to help care for homebound patients.

Geriatric Pharmacy Jobs

Geriatric pharmacists specialize in the care of older adults. Members of the geriatric population often live with multiple health conditions that require medications. Geriatric pharmacists ensure that all those medications don’t cause harm to the patient. The pharmacist may also help the patient and possibly their caregiving team to find ways to keep the patient on their medication schedule throughout the day.

Many  geriatric pharmacists  work in a long-term care facility, dedicated to serving the medication needs of the population living at a single facility. Others work at acute or ambulatory care centers, coordinating with medical teams to care for geriatric patients. Some PharmD programs offer geriatric pharmacy residencies to prepare candidates for this particular specialty.

Hospital Pharmacy Jobs

Hospital pharmacists work with medical teams to administer patients’ medications safely and effectively. Some in this pharmacy doctorate career may prescribe medications. Otherwise, the pharmacist generally receives a prescription request from a physician and then analyzes the patient’s medical chart to ensure the medications will be safe and effective.

In the hospital setting, a pharmacist closely monitors patients for adverse side effects. Pharmacists may also monitor drug charts for accuracy and clarity. This is especially important to ensure smooth and safe transitions between shifts. A hospital pharmacist may be responsible for keeping inventory and quality testing drug supplies. They may also oversee the work of pharmacy technicians or assistants and pharmacists in training.

Pharmacy Jobs in Government

Another pharmacy doctorate career you may consider is to work as a pharmacist for local, state or federal government organizations. These pharmacy jobs may be administrative, research or clinical positions. Some examples of government pharmacy jobs include working at a municipal health clinic or state Medicaid agency. Working for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a federal position that could take you to one of various VA facilities throughout the country.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a federal agency that employs many pharmacists in research, advisory and surveillance positions.  Some pharmacist positions at the FDA involve analyzing new drug proposals or tracking approved drugs for effectiveness and safety. Other FDA pharmacists specialize in developing new compounding techniques and performing compounding services, which means combining drugs to tailor medications to patients’ individual needs.

Community Pharmacy

When you think of the word “pharmacist,” you may picture someone filling prescriptions at an independent or chain pharmacy. These are community pharmacists who check doctors’ prescriptions, dispense drugs and may offer advice regarding how to take medications.  Community pharmacy is the most common work environment for trained pharmacists , comprising 42% of all employed pharmacists.

For PharmD graduates who want a patient-facing pharmacy doctorate career, community pharmacy may be a good fit. Keep in mind that some pharmacies are open around the clock, which means you could be required to work nights and weekends. As you move into more senior positions, however, you may be able to request specific shift preferences.

Other Jobs in Pharmacy

These are not your only pharmacy doctorate career options. There are other lesser-known opportunities, such as those listed below.

• Nuclear pharmacy:  This is a speciality that oversees the use of radioactive drugs. The  Board of Pharmacy Specialties  (BPS) requires specialized training for those seeking a career in nuclear pharmacy. The exam for this specialty covers topics including the safe handling, dispensing, storage and compounding of radiopharmaceuticals.
• Prison pharmacy:  In this pharmacy doctorate career, you may be in charge of medications for an incarcerated population that tends to face more health challenges than the general population. Incarcerated people have high rates of substance abuse problems, chronic diseases, psychiatric conditions and communicable diseases, according to a  report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians . These individuals may benefit from a diligent pharmacist’s help.
• Medical writing:  Pharmacists who enjoy writing may also be well suited for a career as a medical writer. Medical writing could include creating sales kits for drug companies, writing articles for medical publications or drafting peer reviews.

How Much Does Someone With a Pharmacy Doctorate Make?

After investing many years of study and thousands of dollars into your PharmD education, you may want the economic payoff to make it all worthwhile. The  median annual salary for pharmacists was $128,710 in May 2020 , the BLS reports. The bottom 10% of earners made less than $85,210 per year, while the top 10% took home more than $164,980. Where you will land on that PharmD pay scale depends on a variety of factors.

Your pharmacy doctorate salary also depends on where you work. For example, here are the  2020 median annual pharmacist salaries in the top industries in which they worked :

• Ambulatory healthcare services: $137,820
• Hospitals; state, local, and private: 131,290
• Food and beverage stores: 131,200
• Pharmacies and drug stores: 125,740

What Can Affect Doctor of Pharmacy Salary?

PharmD salaries may vary for several reasons such as your work setting and employer. Your geographic location will also play a part in determining your salary as a pharmacist. When looking at the  BLS’ map of annual mean pharmacy wages by state , several states in the middle of the country tend to pay pharmacists the least. Many coastal states have a higher annual mean wage for pharmacists.

The experience you accumulate as a pharmacist may gradually increase your pharmacy doctorate salary as well. Gaining experience could involve taking on more responsibilities or a leadership role. Doing these things may help you make the case for a new job or higher pharmacy doctorate salary when the time comes.

Doctor of Pharmacy Demand Outlook

Overall  employment of pharmacists is projected to decline 3% from 2019 to 2029 , the BLS reports. This translates to the loss of 10,500 pharmacist positions across the country.

The BLS notes that many of these job losses will be felt at drug stores and independent pharmacies due to an increasing trend to fill prescriptions online or by mail order. Another factor affecting the projected decline in employment is that pharmacy technicians may be completing more duties and tasks that pharmacists once performed.

However, some projected job growth for pharmacists is expected at medical facilities such as hospitals and clinics, the BLS reports. These types of facilities will need pharmacists to oversee medication inventories, prescriptions and distribution to patients.

Discover These Cities for Doctorate in Pharmacy Jobs

Based on  national pharmacist wage data from the BLS , many of the highest-paying pharmacist jobs are found in California, a state which also has one of the  highest costs of living in the country .

Besides searching for a high pharmacy doctorate salary, another way to search for pharmacy doctorate careers is to look at states that have a high concentration of pharmacist jobs. Below are five metropolitan areas that have the highest concentration of pharmacists jobs, according to the BLS.

Explore These States for Pharmacy Doctorate Jobs

Many of the  top-paying states for pharmacist jobs , per BLS data, are located along America’s coastlines. If you want to live close to an ocean, or if you are focused on maximizing your pharmacy doctorate salary, the states listed below may provide a good place to start your job search.

Alternatively, states with the highest concentration of pharmacist jobs include Rhode Island, Montana, West Virginia, Arizona and North Dakota, according to BLS data.

Alternative Pharmacy Jobs

Not sure if a PharmD program is right for you? You may consider becoming a pharmacy assistant or researching alternative jobs in health care.

Online healthcare degree programs  may prepare you for career opportunities in public health, health administration, health informatics, nursing and other fields. Explore some of these career options below.

• Family Nurse Practitioner  (FNP): Working as an FNP means taking on advanced practice nursing roles. FNPs may diagnose and treat illnesses, and some states allow FNPs to prescribe medications.
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse  (APRN): APRN programs offer numerous specializations, which means you could customize your career in advanced nursing to work in various fields, including pharmacology.
• Public Health Professional : A Master of Public Health (MPH) degree could qualify you to work in fields including community health, nutrition, or environmental health. MPH courses cover topics such as biostatistics and epidemiology.
• Healthcare Administrator : If taking on a challenging leadership role is appealing to you, consider pursuing a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree. With this degree, you may consider becoming a government healthcare policy analyst or overseeing the operations of a hospital or network of clinics.
• Health Informatics Specialist : Do you enjoy analyzing data to solve problems and develop solutions? Then a Master of Health Informatics (MHI) degree might be interesting to you. An MHI may prepare you to create and manage medical records systems to help you analyze system data and uncover trends.

Is a PharmD Career Right for You?

Pharmacists may be a valuable source of information and advice for their patients. By checking prescription orders from multiple doctors, pharmacists may even prevent dangerous drug interactions to protect patients’ safety and health. A pharmacy doctorate career may also involve identifying opportunities to provide more cost-effective therapies, thereby saving the patient money.

If you have a strong desire to help people live healthier, more fulfilling lives, then a PharmD could be the right choice for you. Pursuing this degree usually requires four years of advanced study beyond a bachelor’s degree. Online PharmD degree options may help you reach your goal while you continue to work and care for your family. If that’s of interest to you, consider exploring  online PharmD degree programs .

Last updated April 2021

Pharmaceutical Researcher Salary in the United States

Pharmaceutical researcher salary.

How much does a Pharmaceutical Researcher make in the United States? The average Pharmaceutical Researcher salary in the United States is $59,340 as of May 28, 2024, but the salary range typically falls between $53,743 and $66,980 . Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education , certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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Careers in Pharmaceutical Sciences

What pharmaceutical scientists do.

While pharmacists are directly involved in patient care and work with existing drugs, it’s pharmaceutical scientists who create new drugs, therapies, and approaches to maximize benefit established therapies. The pharmaceutical sciences draw on a wide range of disciplines to discover, test, and manufacture new drugs and therapies, as well as evaluate their effectiveness and safety.

Pharmaceutical scientists can find employment at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, universities, regulatory agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, and national laboratories such as the National Institutes of Health.

Fields that pharmaceutical scientists work in include:

• analysis and pharmaceutical quality,
• biotechnology,
• clinical pharmacology and translational research,
• drug design and discovery,
• formulation design and development and pharmacoengineering,
• pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and drug metabolism,
• physical pharmacy and biopharmaceutics,
• regulatory sciences, and
• social and behavioral pharmacy, pharmacoepidemiology, and pharmaceutical outcomes.

Job Outlook and Compensation

• Seventy-five percent of the members of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists were employed full time in 2013, down three percentage points from 2012 but still up three points from 2011.
• According to the AAPS 2013 salary survey, the mean annual base salary of its members who were employed full-time in the United States was $141,500, a 2.2 percent increase from 2012.
• Employment of medical scientists (including pharmaceutical researchers) is projected to grow by 13 percent between 2012 and 2022, compared to 11 percent for all occupations.
• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2012 median salary for scientists working in pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing was $92,940.

Becoming A Pharmaceutical Scientist

More information.

• AAPS salary survey and calculator
• Is A Career in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Right for Me? (PDF)
• Profile for Pharmaceutical Scientist on explorehealthcareers.org
• Pharmaceutical Science Primers by the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists

— Sources for the information on this page: American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, explorehealthcareers.org

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Growth Trends for Related Jobs

Salary of a doctorate phd pharmacology degree.

A pharmacologist studies how chemicals interact with biological systems. Not to be confused with a pharmacist, who explains and dispenses medications to consumers, a pharmacologist is a medical scientist who researches issues such as the effects of chemicals on how cell parts perform, the hazards of pesticides and the development of drugs for healthier people. Pharmacologists typically need a doctoral degree for the highest salaries.

Doctorate Salary

Scientists working as full-fledged pharmacologists typically need a Ph.D., usually in biology or another life science, whether they work strictly in a lab or teach at a university. Some pharmacologists have also trained as physicians but prefer doing pure research in a lab and making new medical discoveries rather than treating patients. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical scientists, including pharmacologists, earned a mean annual salary in 2012 of $76,980. The top 90 percent, which would include those holding Ph.Ds., earned an annual wage of $146,650.

Salary and Top Industries

The BLS also reports that the industries where the most medical scientists work are scientific research and development services, with a mean annual wage of $97,370; pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, with a mean annual wage of $100,850; medical and diagnostic laboratories at $97,570; drugs and druggists' sundries merchant wholesalers at $106,480; and colleges, universities and professional schools at $62,870.

Pharmaceutical Scientists

As reported by the BLS, many pharmacologists work for pharmaceutical companies and contract scientific research and development organizations developing new drugs or pharmaceuticals.The ExploreHealthCareers website notes that established pharmaceutical scientists, which would include Ph.Ds., earn an average annual salary of $104,000 to $210,000, while those just starting their careers earn an average of $85,000. Pharmaceutical scientists may also receive bonuses following the successful development of a new drug. As an incentive to attract and keep talented employes, pharmaceutical companies often pay workers to complete graduate degrees, such as Ph.Ds.

Postdoctoral Research Salaries

Before taking permanent positions, many Ph.D. pharmolcology graduates complete two to four years of a postdoctoral fellowship to work on a high-level research project following the research they undertook to earn their Ph.D. Fellowships enable them to work under established scientists to hone their skills and interest in specific research. They receive salaries for these fellowships, due to their already completed education and research experience and the expectation that they'll bring their own insights to the study. Stanford University uses a sliding scale to determine salary for postdoctoral pharmacologists, depending on the years of research they've already completed during their graduate education. Those with less than one year of experience earn $43,932.98 annually, while those with five years of experience earn $51,791.79. The National Institutes of Health provide eight levels of the minimum for postdoctoral stipends for project it funds, ranging from $39,264 annually for those with less than one year of research experience to $54,180 for those with seven or more years of research behind them.

In the Future

The BLS expects employment of medical scientists to grow by 13 percent through 2022, about as fast as the average for all occupations. The outlook for pharmacologists appears favorable. The BLS attributes some of this projected employment growth to increased reliance on pharmaceuticals from a growing, aging population and the desire for treatments for illnesses such as Alzheimer's and cancer. Private industries will provide most of the employment opportunities.

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• American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook – Medical Scientists
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 -- Medical Scientists -- Except Epidemiologists
• American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics: Explore Pharmacology -- Graduate Studies in Pharmacology
• Stanford University Postdoctoral Scholars: Funding Guidelines
• Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation: Postdoctoral Research Training in Obstetric-Fetal Pharmacology
• O*Net Online: Summary Report for -- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

Located in the mid-Atlantic United States, Elizabeth Layne has covered nonprofits and philanthropy since 1997, and has written articles on an array of topics for small businesses and career-seekers. An award-winning writer, her work has appeared in "The Chronicle of Philanthropy" newspaper and "Worth" magazine. Layne holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from The George Washington University.

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We dug into the main causes of both satisfaction and dissatisfaction in pharmacy so you can be on the lookout at your current or future positions.

Creating Happy Pharmacists

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When I’m not drawing monsters with my princesses or watching anime, I’m experimenting on career development, helping pharmacists create inspiring work and lives.

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Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Degree

Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Jobs by Salary

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Pay ranges for people with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree by employer.

Salaries for Pharmacist with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent

According to our 100% employer reported salary sources the median salary for a Pharmacist with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is $150,027 - $155,183 . Please try our salary wizard to explore how other factors like location, Years of experience and number of direct reports can impact your base pay and bonus.

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