A recent news article told the story of PillPick, a two-armed $1.5 million robot that fills prescriptions at the rate of 600 doses an hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at Loyola University Hospital. The 13' x 28' mechanical pharmacist never takes a break, doesn't worry about weekends, won't ask for a raise, and doesn't even know it isn't on the payroll.

Most pharmacists aren't like that, though.

Most pharmacists spend a great deal of time in school, learning everything there is to know about chemistry, math, biology, and other subjects that many of the rest of us find rather intimidating. And many of them have to pass the licensing requirements of the states in which they practice their profession. These pharmacists do want a break sometimes and they do worry about weekends and raises. And they do expect a paycheck.

For all this work, what is an average pharmacist salary? That depends on where the pharmacist works.

According to data compiled by the US Department of Labor Standards, in 2006, the average pharmacist salary for department store pharmacists was $99,050 while the average pharmacist salary for those dispensing medicine in grocery stores and supermarkets was $95,600.

When working in pharmacies and drug stores in 2006, the average pharmacist salary was $94,640. Those working in general and surgical hospitals saw an average pharmacist salary of $93,640.

But those are just average pharmacist salary numbers. The middle 50% of all pharmacists enjoyed a salary range that ran from $83,180 to $108,140 in 2006. The 10% lowest paid pharmacists made a bit less than $67,860 while the highest paid 10% earned in excess of $119,480.

When someone asks you what's the average pharmacist salary, tell them that, according to Drug Topics Magazine, in 2006, pharmacists working in retail settings were paid an average of $92,291. Those working in institutional workplaces enjoyed an average pharmacist salary of $97,545.

That same magazine also said pharmacists working full time saw an average pharmacist salary of $102,336 while the part-timers earned $55,589 on average.