With clinical pharmacy in high demand in the USA, talking about the salary will calm many curious minds for various reasons.
Many certified clinical pharmacists from other countries may wish to have this information to help them decide if the US is the right immigration destination for them.
Others may wish to know to help them decide where to major or if they can make that career switch.
The last category may be asking about the salary of clinical pharmacists in USA just out of sheer curiosity.
Whatever your reason, they are all very valid and deserve the best answer. In this post, we will discuss clinical pharmacy and the current salary for a clinical pharmacist in the USA.
What is clinical pharmacy?
Clinical pharmacy is a part of pharmacy that teaches pharmacists how to provide direct patient care using drugs and medications.
This means they are directly involved with treating a patient until they are well and back to health or their condition is under medical control.
Who is a clinical pharmacist?
A clinical pharmacist is a board-certified pharmacist trained to work alongside doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals.
Any medical outlet, such as clinics, hospitals, homes, or health care organizations, can use the services of a clinical pharmacist.
When a doctor goes around for routine checkups on patients, a clinical pharmacist tags along because they also have a duty to perform for the patient.
Their roles include overseeing the medication by watching the lab results and the doctor’s findings.
What differentiates them from other pharmacists is that they were trained in clinical sciences and biomedicals during their education.
Depending on their major, they also get certified through the Board of Pharmacy Specialties.
Their job is special and highly important in the medical field, which is why their salary is a topic for discussion.
How much is clinical pharmacist salary in USA?
Each country has an average salary a clinical pharmacist can take home at the end of the day. However, our focus is on the United States of America.
In the US, a clinical pharmacist takes home an average of $128,926 as a salary. Having said this, each state in the US has an average amount they pay clinical pharmacists as salary.
So, your preferred state or state of residence in the USA can determine how much you can earn as a clinical pharmacist.
How much is the average clinical pharmacist salary by state?
Generally, talking about how much the clinical pharmacist salary in the US may not be correct because salaries can be influenced by the state you work in.
Let us look at some of these USA states and their average yearly and hourly salaries for a clinical pharmacist.
According to ZipRecruiter, these pharmacists earn in each state as follows:
Alaska
Yearly: $130,727
Hourly: $62,85
Arizona
Yearly: $123,184
Hourly: $59,22
Alabama
Yearly: $119,813
Hourly: $57,60
Arkansas
Yearly: $99,094
Hourly: $47,64
California
Yearly: $115,900
Hourly:$55,70
Connecticut
Yearly: $117,544
Hourly: $56,51
Colorado
Yearly: $125,817
Hourly: $60,49
Delaware
Yearly: $119,291
Hourly: $57,35
Florida
Yearly: $98,778
Hourly: $47,49
Georgia
Yearly: $111,614
Hourly: $53,66
Hawaii
Yearly: 126,706
Hourly: 60,92
What is the highest paid clinical pharmacist job?
Clinical pharmacy is a vast field, meaning there are many aspects and opportunities within this branch of pharmacy.
Though they are paid high, some are paid more. We will look at some of them:
Research pharmacists
These clinical pharmacists in research are the reason we have drugs with few or no side effects.
They study, analyze, and monitor drug production by running tests on these drugs and putting them on trials to determine their reaction rate.
Drugs meant for public use must pass through these pharmacists before they are shipped out for public consumption. They handle medications to ensure safety.
These research pharmacists’ salaries range from $121,000 to $ 173,000 yearly.
Oncology pharmacists
Oncology clinical pharmacists work closely with cancer patients and their doctors. They help patients get comfortable with their medications by educating them and selecting the preferred drug according to their tolerance.
During cancer treatment, oncology pharmacists interact with the healthcare team to get all the necessary information about the patient.
The team updates the pharmacist as they check out drugs and finally make drug decisions to suit the patient.
The same goes for during therapy. Oncology pharmacists ensure that therapy drugs do not cause adverse effects and further complicate things.
The clinical pharmacists in this field are paid within the range of $116,000 to $ 142,500.
Pharmaceutical engineer
Pharmaceutical engineers have almost the same job description as research pharmacists but with slight differences.
In this field, your job demands that you research the materials used in drug production, like chemical research.
They oversee drug packaging, quality assurance, and regulations. In line with this work, you must do a lot of collaborations, but not with the healthcare team.
They collaborate with drug manufacturing companies and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure all-round safety in drugs and drug packaging.
These pharmacists are paid yearly within the range of $76,000 to $ 84,000.
What skill does a clinical pharmacist need to earn high?
Every field requires one or more skills before you can thrive. Clinical pharmacists are required to have some skills alongside their daily jobs.
Possessing these skills will earn you a good workplace, help your career soar, and increase your clinical pharmacist salary.
Excellent communication skills
Clinical pharmacists must have this skill since they interact with patients and health teams.
Communication skills will help your interaction with patients be smooth and filled with understanding of what is happening inside their bodies.
Attention to detail
Since you work with different patients and handle sensitive information, your attention to detail could save lives.
Knowing which patient has which diagnosis and drugs helps you catch what others overlooked during drug administration.
Organizational skills
Pharmacists, especially clinical pharmacists, must be organized to avoid mixing up medications and causing harm.
Organizational skills can prevent you from keeping your patients waiting and save everyone from confusion and disorderliness.
Concluding remark on How much a clinical pharmacist earn in the USA
The salary of clinical pharmacists in the US is influenced by many factors as you read above. Therefore, you must align your decision with these factors if you want to earn a high salary.
It remains of utmost relevance you understand that the better your skills are the better opportunities you have to earn more.
Recommendations
How much is clinical pharmacist salary in Canada
How to become a hospital pharmacist in the United States