Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Pharmacist Salary in Seattle, WA

Pharmacists in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earn a median $162,870 a year — 16% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $122,588 take-home, or $10,216 a month.

Median salary
$162,870
$78.30 per hour
Typical range
$126,410 – $209,460
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Seattle, WA
4,440
1.03× national concentration
▼1.5%
Pay trend: The median for pharmacists in Seattle, WA fell from $165,270 (May 2024) to $162,870 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 3.9%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median pharmacist salary in Seattle, WA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Pharmacist in Seattle, WA
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$122,588
per year · effective tax rate 24.7%
$10,216Monthly
$5,108Twice a month
$4,715Every 2 weeks
$58.94Hourly
  • Federal income tax$27,823
  • Social Security (6.2%)$10,098
  • Medicare (1.45%)$2,362
  • Washington income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$122,588

Marginal rate: 24% federal + 0.00% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Pharmacist pay by experience in Seattle, WA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$126,410$60.77$97,667$8,139
25th percentile$139,400$67.02$106,546$8,879
Median (50th)$162,870$78.30$122,588$10,216
75th percentile$192,860$92.72$143,604$11,967
90th percentile (top earners)$209,460$100.70$155,894$12,991

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Washington resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $162,870 buys in Seattle, WA

Prices in Seattle, WA are 11.1% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median pharmacist's $122,588 take-home pay has the buying power of $110,307 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$2,022
20% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$2,379
23% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$8,194
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Pharmacist jobs are about as common in Seattle, WA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.03).

Best-paying cities for pharmacists, adjusted for cost of living

Seattle, WA ranks #3 of 29 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Charlotte, NC $150,580$108,688$111,649
2Cleveland, OH $140,690$104,341$111,092
3Seattle, WA $162,870$122,588$110,307
4Nashville, TN $137,590$105,309$109,312
5Kansas City, MO $139,460$100,970$109,106
6Cincinnati, OH $140,200$104,020$109,069
7Houston, TX $140,470$107,277$108,768
8Denver, CO $157,890$112,945$106,772

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 29 metros →

About the job: pharmacists

Dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. May advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of medications.

Typical education
Doctoral or professional degree
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
+5.2% (faster than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a pharmacist make in Seattle, WA?

The median pharmacist salary in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area is $162,870 a year, or about $78.30 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $139,400 and $192,860.

What is a pharmacist’s take-home pay in Seattle, WA?

On the median $162,870 salary, a single filer living in Washington takes home about $122,588 a year ($10,216 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.

Is Seattle, WA a good place to work as a pharmacist?

Pay here is 16% above the national median of $140,910. Local prices are 11.1% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $110,307 would in a typical U.S. city. Seattle, WA ranks #3 of 29 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a pharmacist afford rent in Seattle, WA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Seattle, WA is $2,022 a month ($2,379 for two bedrooms) — 20% of a median pharmacist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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Cost of living & all salaries in Seattle, WA →