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Pharmacy Graduate Salary

Good starting salary with clear career path. NHS and retail pharmacy options

Starting Salary
£33,000
£2,273/month take home
Mid-Career Salary
£45,000
£2,993/month take home

All Graduate Salaries Compared

DegreeStartingMid-CareerTake Home/Mo (Start)
Computer Science£32,000£55,000£2,213
Medicine£32,398£65,000£2,237
Law£25,000£45,000£1,793
Engineering£28,000£48,000£1,973
Accounting & Finance£26,000£50,000£1,853
Economics£28,000£50,000£1,973
Nursing£29,970£38,000£2,092
Architecture£24,000£42,000£1,733
Marketing£24,000£40,000£1,733
Teaching£31,650£43,607£2,192
Psychology£22,000£35,000£1,613
English & Humanities£22,000£32,000£1,613
Business Management£25,000£42,000£1,793
Maths & Statistics£28,000£55,000£1,973
Art & Design£20,000£30,000£1,493
Biology£22,000£35,000£1,613
Chemistry£24,000£40,000£1,733
Physics£26,000£50,000£1,853
Pharmacy£33,000£45,000£2,273
Dentistry£33,000£55,000£2,273

Career Outlook for Pharmacy Graduates

Pharmacy graduates enter a profession undergoing significant expansion. Community pharmacists are increasingly providing clinical services (vaccinations, blood pressure monitoring, minor ailment treatment), and clinical pharmacists in GP practices represent a major new career pathway. Hospital pharmacy offers structured NHS career progression.

Typical First Roles and Career Paths

All pharmacy graduates complete a pre-registration year (salaried). After registration with the GPhC, career paths include community pharmacist, hospital pharmacist, clinical pharmacist in primary care, pharmaceutical industry roles, and academic pharmacy. Locum pharmacy offers flexible working at premium rates. See pharmacist salary guide.

Tips for Pharmacy Graduates

Pharmacy offers stable employment but salary growth is more modest than some health professions. The independent prescriber qualification significantly enhances career options and earning potential. Community pharmacy ownership offers the highest earnings but carries business risk. Hospital pharmacists benefit from structured NHS pay progression and excellent pension benefits.

Student Loan Repayments

Pharmacy graduates on £31,000 pre-registration salary repay approximately £34/month on Plan 2. Upon qualifying and earning £35,000+, repayments increase but remain proportionate to the secure salary progression.