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Salary of a Pharmacist: Per Month, Starting Salary, Highest Salary 2023

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Ahana Bhaduri

Senior Content Specialist

Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who specialize in the right way to use, store, preserve and prescribe different types of drugs and medicines. They guide on how to use medication, what are their potential side effects etc. They usually work in pharmacies, hospitals, medical clinics, universities and government institutions. 

The average starting salary of a pharmacist in India is INR 2.72 LPA. However, the salary varies with experience, qualification and skills. An entry-level Pharmacist with less than 1 year of experience can earn INR 1.80 LPA. Having prior skills also act as a crucial determinant factor for the salary of a Pharmacist such as inventory management, operation management, retail pharmacy etc. Pharmacists can open their own dispensary or work in hospitals or in several big pharmaceutical companies. The highest salary of a Pharmacist can go upto INR 4.30 LPA.

In order to become a Pharmacist, aspiring candidates can opt to pursue undergraduate courses or postgraduate Pharmacy Courses such as B Pharmacy or M. Pharma from amongst the top Pharmacy Colleges in India. Candidates can opt to pursue various diploma courses such as D.Pharma. .Admission to these courses is done on the basis of clearing entrance exams such as GPAT, OJEE, HPCET, etc. There is a huge scope and job opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry. 

Duties of Pharmacist

The duties of a Pharmacist is quite extensive and is not limited to just counting out tablets and preparing a bottle label but involves following duties. Some of them are provided below for your reference:

  • A Pharmacist goes through the prescription thoroughly and deals with any confusion or unclear instructions regarding the dosage of the medicine.
  • They have to check the patient’s prescription properly every time they get it refilled to prevent interaction with any dangerous drugs.
  • They also have to advise the patients regarding the potential side effects of a medicine and interactions of certain medicines with other components like food, alcohol, other beverages, etc for the safety of the patients.
  • Apart from written prescriptions, they also have to advise patients with the potential effects of non-prescribed medicines, taking health supplements, diets, exercise, etc.
  • They have to manage the staff and train the pharmacy technicians, students and interns so that they make no mistakes.
  • They also perform some administrative tasks like maintaining the patient’s medical record, stocking of required products, and patient care.

Salary of a Pharmacist: Company wise

Pharmacists have a very important role to play in the medical sector. There are several big pharmaceutical companies that develop numerous types of medicines and bring into the market for treatment of ailments. Pharmacists are one of the sources who bring these medicines into the market. The salaries of pharmacists vary with the company. 

Tabulated below are the salaries of some pharmacists according to the pharmaceutical companies.

Name of the Company Average Annual Salary (INR)
Sun Pharmaceuticals 6.2 L
Novozymes 5.6 L
Cipla 7.47 L
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories 5.5 L
Lupin 5.2 L
Aurobindo 4.8 L
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals 5.8 L
Abbott India 6.11 L
Wockhardt 6.8 L

Salary of a Pharmacist: Qualification Wise

In order to be a Pharmacist, the candidate needs to be well qualified. Academic qualifications play a very important role in determining the salary of a candidate. Tabulated below is the salary of a Pharmacist based on their qualifications.

Qualification Average Annual Salary (INR)
Diploma Degree 3.5 L
Undergraduate Degree 6.5 L
Postgraduate Degree 10 L
PhD 15 L

Salary of a Pharmacist: Specialization wise

Salary of a Pharmacist varies according to the job profiles or their area of specialization. Different job profiles have a different role to play in the market and that is one of the deciding factors of salary of pharmacists. The average salary of a Pharmacist based on their specialization is provided below for your reference.

Specializations Average Annual Salary (INR)
Pharmacist 3.25 L
Chemist 8 L
Medical Representative 5 L
Clinic Manager 6.5 L
Clinical Research Coordinator 4 L
Chemical Pathologist 3.5 L

Salary of a Pharmacist: Experience Wise

Experience plays a vital role in determining the salary in any profession. The more the experience of a Pharmacist, the more will be the salary. According to Glassdoor, the highest salary of a Pharmacist can go up to INR 18.44 LPA. The salary of a Pharmacist based on years of experience is provided below for your reference.

Experience Average Annual Salary (INR)
0 - 5 years 2.92 L
6 - 10 years 6.70 L
11 - 15 years 10.11 L
16 - 20 years 13.28 L
20 years & above 17 L

Salary of a Pharmacist: City Wise

The salary of a Pharmacist is very much dependent on the location. Cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai offer 28% more salary to pharmacists than national average as compared to other cities. The salary of a Pharmacist can also vary according to the location within the city as well. Discussed below is the average salary of a Pharmacists based on cities.

Cities Average Annual Salary (INR)
Delhi 5 L
Pune 3.5 L
Bangalore 4.5 L
Mumbai 6.3 L
Chennai 4.3 L
Kolkata 3.50 L
Jaipur 3.59 L

Salary of a Pharmacist: Country Wise

Countries like UK, USA, and Russia are some of the top manufacturers of medicines due to their advanced technology and medicinal practices. The salary of Pharmacists in these countries is also very high as compared to other countries. The average salary of a Pharmacist in different countries is tabulated below for your reference.

Country Average Annual Salary (INR)
USA 89 L
UK 45.83 L
Australia 59.95 L
Canada 56.86 L
Germany 36.31 L
Japan 33.26 L
China 41.94 L
Russia 67.88 L

Skills Required to Become a Pharmacist

Pharmacists are required to possess some extra skills in order to excel in the profession. Skills like Clinical Research, Pharmaceutical production, inventory management etc affect the salary of a Pharmacist. If the candidate possesses some of these skills then they can expect a salary of more than 20% above than the national average. Tabulated below are some of the skills that affect the salary of a Pharmacist in India.

Analytical skills Operations Management Clinical research
Multitasking Retail Pharmacy Patient Counseling
Interpersonal skills Pharmacotherapy Hospital Education

Top Recruiters of Pharmacists

There are many pharmaceutical companies in India in which the candidate can work in or he can also be self-employed or open a dispensary or supply the medicine. The top companies that hire Pharmacists are given below for your knowledge.

Sun Pharmaceuticals Cipla Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
Lupin Abbott India Biocon
Wockhardt Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Aurobindo

Salary of a Pharmacist: FAQs

Ques. What do Pharmacists do?

Ans. The duties of a Pharmacist include:

  • advise the patients regarding the potential side effects of a medicine
  • advise patients with the potential effects of non-prescribed medicines
  • manage the staff and train the pharmacy technicians, students and interns
  • perform some administrative tasks like maintaining the patient’s medical record, stocking of required products

Ques. How many types of Pharmacists are there?

Ans. There are many branches of Pharmacists:

  • Pharmacist
  • Chemist
  • Medical Representative
  • Chemical Pathologist

Ques. What are the skills required to become a Pharmacist?

Ans. The skills required to become a Pharmacist in India are: 

  • Organizational skills
  • Communication
  • Analytical skills
  • Attention to detail

Ques. Who are the top recruiters for Pharmacists?

Ans. Some of the top recruiters for Pharmacists are:

  • Sun Pharmaceuticals
  • Cipla
  • Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
  • Glenmark Pharmaceuticals

Ques. Is there any internship required to become a Pharmacist?

Ans. It is not compulsory to have internship experience but it is preferred that the candidate possess previous knowledge and first-hand experience of working in a pharmacy.

Ques. Can a student from arts background become a Pharmacist?

Ans. No, aspirants from arts background cannot become a Pharmacist. In order to become a pharmacist, the candidate needs to be from PCB background or biotechnology background. 

Ques. Can one pursue a Pharmacy course from distance learning?

Ans. Yes, one can pursue a Pharmacy course from distance learning but it is advisable to pursue it from a regular college.

Ques. What is the highest salary of a Pharmacist?

Ans. According to Glassdoor, Based on experience and skill, a Pharmacist can earn upto INR 18 L per annum.

Ques. What is the course fees to become a Pharmacist?

Ans. Generally, the course fees range from INR 40,000-5,00,000. The fees also vary from public universities to private colleges. 

Ques. What are the courses to become a Pharmacist?

Ans. There are various courses to become a Pharmacist:

  • Diploma in Pharmacy
  • Masters in Pharmacy
  • Bachelors in Pharmacy

Ask your question

Answered Questions

DH

Damini Hedge

23 Apr 21

You should go for B.Pharmacy at BITS Pilani Hyderabad mainly if show definite interest in the field.

  • As far as the faculty is concerned, you can rest assured that it is quite good and the campus itself holds national as well as international level symposiums. In other words, college life is very well established. 
  • You will have a variety of extra-curricular activities, sports as well as academic flexibility at all three campuses.
  • However, you should note that the course structure of this branch could be a tad bit different from the regular B.E Hons branches on the campus. In case you plan to shift to engineering or sciences career options if you lose interest in the current subject, it could prove to be a little difficult.

Your choices will also depend on what you plan to do after college. If you are primarily looking for an engineering job, you should go to NIT Raipur. Pharmacy probably does not have good job opportunities if you are an undergraduate. It will be necessary for you to do a master’s degree.

When you go to BITS, they will ensure that you will get the all-around development you need along with its well-developed alumni association. If you are planning on doing an MBA after pharma, you might have good prospects in the future.

Lastly, take pharmacy only if you are confident enough that you can handle biology and chemistry. Don’t expect to get placed, there are chances that you might not get a very good package.

In other words, you should join BITS but you will have to work really hard. Although it will be worth it. What you can gain from BITS is a hundred times better than what you will get from NIT Raipur.

...Show More

ND

Nisha Dubey

19 Jul 21

My brother used to be a student of BITS Pilani and from what he has heard; it is not a good institute for students who want to pursue pharmacy.

You should pursue pharmacy at BITS Pilani only if you have a strong background in physics, chemistry, and biology or you cannot get admission to some other institute.

Even if you do have a strong background in the three subjects, the chances of getting converted to a different stream are very low. You have to obtain a CGPA of or higher than 9.8. It is simply too high and getting a 257 just will not be enough.

On the other hand, BITS is a very reputed institute. It is highly praised by my friend and a lot of the students and former students as well. It is a very good institute but pharmacy is just not its forte. It would be better if you look for other institutes if you want to pursue pharmacy.

...Show More

DB

Devdutta Bose

16 Jul 21

In comparison to other Universities in Delhi NCR, Sharda University provides a good possibility for B.Pharm students to work in a reputable field.

  • There is a methodical technique to approaching the educational pattern in order to provide students with knowledge.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate a thorough comprehension of the scientific principles and methodologies of pharmaceutical sciences through their basic professional education.
  • This will allow them to continue their education and pursue postgraduate training and research.
  • The curriculum was inspired by the fact that pharmacists are important members of the healthcare team, and they will be able to find work in either the public or private sector.
  • Community pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, regulatory control and drug management, pharmaceutical industry, quality assurance, academic activities, training activities, and research are all key topics.
Categories B.Pharm at Sharda University
Course Fee 7.50 lakh
Highest CTC 7 LPA
Average CTC 4 LPA
Recruiting Companies Patanjali, Cipla, Sun Pharma, Himalaya, etc.

As a result, Sharda University will play a critical role in preparing students for the workforce rather than simply imparting theoretical information.

...Show More

AB

Aliyah Bose,

01 Nov 21

One of my friends studied B.Pharm at NIMS University Jaipur. According to him, it is overall a good institution, but the faculties are not good enough. They are said to be uncooperative and not easy to approach. They maintain a distance from students and keep them in continuous check, probably giving you a feeling of the school.

Many students have mentioned that the fees of the college are really high and not appropriate for considering the facilities offered.

It is suggested that you go to any other college because the scope and exposure NIMS University Jaipur provides is not enough to make a mark in today’s world.

...Show More

SV

Senjuti Verma

25 Mar 22

Galgotias University is a better option for pursuing Pharmacy. The course is well-structured and offers you practical training for a career in Pharmacy. The course will give you inside into how drugs are made and how pharmacists can make patient care better by interacting with other health professionals. 

You will learn through lectures, laboratory assignments, study projects, seminars, etc. 

...Show More

SD

Sumit Dayal

28 Aug 20
  • Peace component (an integral part of our curriculum)
  • School of Pharmacy has well-equipped laboratories with state of the art lab facilities and good infrastructure (animal house - CPCSEA approved, Machine Room equivalent to Mini Industry)
  • Active Placement Cell
  • The curriculum is delivered through highly qualified & experienced faculties who are approachable 24X7
  • Faculty members keep themselves updated with current industry trends & technologies
  • National and International MoU
  • Cell biology (cancer research ) laboratory (one of its kind in India)
  • School of Pharmacy has renowned researchers and academicians as Professor of practice advisor.
...Show More

RJ

Radhika Jadeja

14 Oct 21

Actually, no, the forte of SHUATS lies in the course it offers for agriculture and allied courses. SHUATS does offer the B.Pharm degree but if you really want to pursue this degree then it would be better if you opt for some other institute.

The placement scenario for students of B.Pharm at SHUATS is not good at all. Instead, try pursuing the degree at VIT or SRM where students who have completed this course do get placements.

Another popular degree that attracts candidates is the food technology course.

...Show More

JD

Janki Devi

28 Aug 20

Key Features are:

  1. B. Pharm program is NBA accredited for six years
  2. Top 60 in NIRF ranking
  3. Approved by AICTE, PCI
  • 3 crore Grants
  • 300 Research Publications
  • 20 Books and Chapter by faculty
  • 10 Patent applied
  1. Rural immersion Program
  2. International Immersion
  3. National Study tour

Other important points to be considered are:

  • Peace component (an integral part of our curriculum)
  • School of Pharmacy has well-equipped laboratories with state of the art lab facilities and good infrastructure (animal house - CPCSEA approved, Machine Room equivalent to Mini Industry)
  • Active Placement Cell
  • The curriculum is delivered through highly qualified & experienced faculties who are approachable 24X7
  • Faculty Members keep themselves updated with current industry trends & technologies
  • National and International MoU
  • Cell biology (cancer research) laboratory (one of its kind in India)
  • The School of Pharmacy has renowned researchers and academicians as Professor of practice advisors.

...Show More

VT

Vini Thakur

10 May 22

Yes, you need to register for B.Pharm separately. For MBBS, GGSIPU accepts national-level examination scores, i.e. NEET UG 2022. For B.Pharm, you need to appear in The IPU CET 2022. If you wish to apply for both these courses, you need to apply separately and meet the required admission criteria. 

...Show More

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