Pharmacists pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $131,400 a year or less, while the top 10% make $214,480 or more. The middle half of pharmacists in San Diego earn between $154,000 and $201,750.
- $131K10th
- $154K25th
- $165KMedian
- $202K75th
- $214K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $167,490 | $13,958 | $80.52 |
| Median | $165,130 | $13,761 | $79.39 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $154,000 | $12,833 | $74.04 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $201,750 | $16,812 | $97.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Pharmacists pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Pharmacists in San Diego earn 3% more than the California average ($162,340) and 19% more than the U.S. average ($140,920). At the median the gap is +17% against the U.S. median of $140,910.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $167,490 | $165,130 | $131,400 | $214,480 | 2,840 |
| California | $162,340 | $164,610 | $90,560 | $213,820 | 34,030 |
| United States | $140,920 | $140,910 | $99,290 | $174,230 | 321,970 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Pharmacists salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $167,490, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $114,261 a year, or $9,522 a month and $4,395 every two weeks. Taxes take 32% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for pharmacists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $167,490 buys what about $149,696 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.8 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 5.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Pharmacists salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 8th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($190,370).
- San Jose$190,370
- Napa$186,750
- San Francisco$184,540
- Santa Rosa$175,910
- Sacramento$169,660
- Vallejo$169,600
- San Luis Obispo$168,490
- San Diego$167,490
- Salinas$164,590
- Fresno$163,710
Highest-paying cities for pharmacists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($190,370).
- San Jose, CA$190,370
- Napa, CA$186,750
- San Francisco, CA$184,540
- Florence, SC$184,250
- Santa Rosa, CA$175,910
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Pharmacists salary in San Diego: questions
How much do pharmacists make an hour in San Diego?
$80.52 an hour on average, and $79.39 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level pharmacists salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $131,400 a year and the 25th percentile is $154,000, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the pharmacists take-home pay in San Diego?
About $114,261 a year ($9,522 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $167,490. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do pharmacists earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% more than the U.S. average for this job ($140,920).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-1051; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.7%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.89, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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