A licensed pharmacist who specializes in animal medications, dosing drugs across species, compounding custom formulations and advising veterinarians at teaching hospitals and pharmacies. BLS does not publish separate figures for pharmacists; it counts them within pharmacist (SOC 29-1051), whose median pay is $140,910 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
- SOC 29-1051
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Veterinary Pharmacist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $140,910a year, or $67.75/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $99KTop 10% $174K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.2%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 12,500325,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025325.2K
- Projected 2035342.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 325.2K Projected 2035 342.3K - Typical education
- Doctorateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school1.8%
- Bachelor's11.5%
- Professional degree3.4%
- Doctorate78.4%
- Post-doctoral training5.1%
Highest education held by pharmacists Segment Value High school 1.8% Bachelor's 11.5% Professional degree 3.4% Doctorate 78.4% Post-doctoral training 5.1%
Also advertised as: Veterinary Clinical Pharmacist, Veterinary Compounding Pharmacist, Veterinary Hospital Pharmacist, Diplomate ICVP.
Pay
How much do Pharmacists make?
Every veterinary pharmacist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$140,910
Middle half earn $129,380 to $161,840
- 10th
- $99,290
- 25th
- $129,380
- 75th
- $161,840
- 90th
- $174,230
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $99,290 |
| 25th | $129,380 |
| Median | $140,910 |
| 75th | $161,840 |
| 90th | $174,230 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $140,910
- Median hourly wage
- $67.75/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $140,920
- People employed
- 321,970
Versus all US occupations
At $140,910, Pharmacists earn 176% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $89,930 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 37% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $174,230 or more while the bottom 10% earn $99,290, a gap of 1.8×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 91% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Alaska posts the highest raw median ($167,310), but once local prices are taken into account South Dakota leads at $165,703 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Pharmacists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $167,310 | $163,454 | 560 |
| 2Oregon | $165,960 | $160,563 | 3,250 |
| 3California | $164,610 | $148,672 | 34,030 |
| 4Hawaii | $163,220 | $148,448 | 1,190 |
| 5Washington | $160,610 | $150,085 | 7,350 |
| 6Minnesota | $159,740 | $161,974 | 6,310 |
| 7Colorado | $156,030 | $151,409 | 4,560 |
| 8District of Columbia | $153,400 | $139,580 | 850 |
| 9Delaware | $152,880 | $153,174 | 790 |
| 10Wisconsin | $148,740 | $158,074 | 5,730 |
Job outlook
Is Veterinary Pharmacist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Pharmacists | +5.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Pharmacists to change 5.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 17,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 12,500 openings are projected each year, 3.8% of the 325,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Veterinary Pharmacist
Veterinary pharmacists first earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from an accredited pharmacy school and pass the NAPLEX and state law exams for licensure. Most pharmacy schools offer little veterinary content, so many take veterinary pharmacy electives or rotations at veterinary teaching hospitals.
A common next step is a one-year veterinary pharmacy residency at a veterinary college such as Texas A&M, Purdue or Wisconsin. Completing a residency or qualifying experience makes pharmacists eligible for certification by the Society of Veterinary Hospital Pharmacists as a Diplomate of the International College of Veterinary Pharmacy.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Doctoral or professional degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as pharmacists.
- Doctoral Degree78.4%
- Bachelor's Degree11.5%
- Post-Doctoral Training5.1%
- First Professional Degree3.4%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)1.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Doctoral Degree | 78.4% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 11.5% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 5.1% |
| First Professional Degree | 3.4% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 1.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Veterinary Pharmacist do?
Veterinary pharmacists know that a drug safe for a dog can be deadly for a cat, and that horses, birds and reptiles each handle medicines differently. In veterinary teaching hospitals they dispense and verify prescriptions, round with clinical services, calculate doses for patients ranging from hamsters to draft horses, and advise clinicians on drug interactions and toxicities.
In compounding and mail-order pharmacies they prepare formulations that do not exist commercially: flavored liquids for cats, transdermal gels, or small doses of human drugs for exotic pets. They also manage controlled substances, answer questions from owners, and help hospitals comply with FDA rules on extralabel drug use, including restrictions on drugs in food-producing animals.
Day-to-day tasks
- Verify and dispense prescriptions for many animal species
- Calculate species-specific doses and check for toxic drug interactions
- Compound custom formulations such as flavored liquids and transdermal gels
- Advise veterinarians on drug selection and extralabel use rules
- Manage controlled substance inventory and records
- Counsel owners on giving medications to their animals
- Teach veterinary and pharmacy students about animal pharmacology
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Veterinary pharmacists work in veterinary teaching hospital pharmacies, compounding pharmacies, online pet pharmacies and animal health companies. The work is indoors, often standing at a dispensing bench or working at a computer, with frequent consultation by phone and in person. Teaching hospitals may require some evening or weekend coverage.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Writing3.9
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Monitoring3.9
- Active Learning3.6
- Mathematics3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.6 |
| Mathematics | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.9
- Service Orientation3.9
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Time Management3.9
- Coordination3.4
- Management of Personnel Resources3.1
- Instructing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.9 |
| Service Orientation | 3.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Time Management | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.4 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.1 |
| Instructing | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Computer based training software
- Data base user interface and query software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Veterinary Pharmacist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ICS) built on O*NET's Pharmacist profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Veterinary Pharmacist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 5 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
- Investigative5.8
- Social4.9
- Conventional4.8
- Realistic2.8
- Enterprising2.6
- Artistic1.5
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Veterinary Pharmacist
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with pharmacists highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Veterinary Pharmacist$140,910
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Veterinary Pharmacist | $140,910 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Veterinary Pharmacist appears on
Questions
Veterinary Pharmacist: frequently asked questions
How much do Pharmacists make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for pharmacists. It counts them within pharmacist, whose median pay is $140,910 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $129,380 and $161,840, and the top 10% earn $174,230 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Veterinary Pharmacist?
Yes, and beyond a bachelor's: BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry requirement for Pharmacists. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 78.4% hold doctoral degree.
Is Veterinary Pharmacist a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.2% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 12,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Veterinary Pharmacist do?
Veterinary pharmacists know that a drug safe for a dog can be deadly for a cat, and that horses, birds and reptiles each handle medicines differently. A typical task: verify and dispense prescriptions for many animal species. Employers most often ask for Document management software, Electronic mail software, Medical software.
Which states pay Pharmacists the most?
The highest state medians for Pharmacists are Alaska ($167,310), Oregon ($165,960), California ($164,610) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, South Dakota moves to the top at $165,703.
What personality type suits a Veterinary Pharmacist?
O*NET scores Pharmacists highest on the Investigative, Social and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISFJ, ISTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.