How Much Does a Pharmacist Earn in Australia? (2025 Salary Guide by Role & Location)

Australia is one of the dream destinations to all the Healthcare professionals especially the Pharmacists overseas. It has become the choice or a dream destination considering various reasons like good work-life balance, lucrative salaries, expanded roles etc. Understanding the salary potential or earning possibilities at different levels is important and will help us make better decisions regarding whether Australia is the final place we wish to work overseas. The salary may vary based on various factors like role, experience, location etc, lets quickly understand the salary structure keeping these factors in mind:

Summary Table

Intern Pharmacist Salary or pharmacist salary at an entry level:

• It is a mandate for every overseas pharmacist to understand the Australian Healthcare system before they independently practise in Australia and the internship allows supervised experience of about an year before applying for general registration.

• The average Salary of an inter pharmacist is approximately AUD60,000 - $65,000 per year per year

• Per hour salary: Intern pharmacists can earn anywhere between AUD 25 to 30 per hour in Australia.

• It is quite an advantage in Australia that the candidates can actually start earning from the stage of internship which is not the same in many countries.

Fresh Graduate Salary or Overseas Pharmacists With No Experience:

• Experince, location, employer, and job responsibilities are some of the areas that majorly impact your salary. Greater the experience higher the salary.

• Usually, a fresh graduate or a pharmacist without experience earns AUD 32 to 40 per hour.

• A fresher or an inexperienced overseas graduate earns on average AUD 75,000 to 85,000 annually.

• Similarly is the condition with the area or location of work place. Australia enjoy higher salary structure in the Rural and regional areas. Not just that there are additional perks like incentives due to shortage of pharmacists in these regions.

Pharmacist-in-Charge Salary:

• A pharmacist-in-charge (PIC) is a registered pharmacist who is responsible for overall day to day activities in a pharmacy with an average salary of AUD 90,000 – 114,000 per year approximately.

• Pharmacist-in-charge comes with higher experience and with experience comes the responsibilities too. The PIC makes sure that the pharmacy complies with the laws professionally and ethically, they also look into inventory and supply chain management, maintaining professional standards, team supervision etc.

• When it comes to a per hour earning range, they earn somewhere between AUD 45 to 55 per hour approximately, but again this might be influenced by the experience and location of work.

Consultant Pharmacist & Specialized Roles

• Specialized roles like Consultant Pharmacists, Clinical Pharmacists, Oncology pharmacists, Geriatric pharmacists, Cardiology pharmacists, industrial pharmacists can earn significantly higher.

• This category could earn anywhere from AUD 110,000 – 130,000+ per year on an average.

• Opportunities in hospitals, research institutions, and government sectors contribute to higher packages with experience.

Factors Influencing Salary: As mentioned earlier there are many factors influencing the salary earned by the pharmacists and to name a few:

• Area of work or Location: The competition is high in the cities and on the contrary the pay, other facilities, incentives and relocation bonuses etc, are higher in the rural and regional areas due to the shortage of the pharmacists here.

• Experience & Specialization: Not just in the field of pharmacy, all the fields evidently shoe a shift in the higher packages with experience. More experience and additional certifications (e.g., immunization, medication review) increase salary potential. Your salary could differ with specialization too.

• Sector: The pay scale differs widely among the sector of work, for example, Hospital pharmacists and those in the private sector may have different pay scales compared to community pharmacists. The pay scale widely differs with the sector of work so be mindful in choosing the sector that you work.

Final words:

Pharmacy is not just a job it’s a responsibility towards the society and the job satisfaction that this field provides is tremendous. Pharmacy offers a fulfilling career in Australia with a clear career advancement in roles and pay structure.

With growing demand for healthcare professionals and government support for regional workforce programs, pharmacists can expect stable and lucrative career opportunities in 2025. Not just that the work life balance, expanded roles, cultural inclusivity, shortage in the rural areas make Australia the ultimate destination for Pharmacists overseas.

💡 Related Read:

Overseas Pharmacists Readiness Examination – Everything You Need to Know

The salary figures mentioned in this blog are based on our independent research and analysis of current market trends. These figures are accurate as of May 2025, but may vary over time due to changes in demand, location, experience levels, and industry developments. Readers are encouraged to verify the latest information through official and trusted sources.

⚠️ Disclaimer

About the Author

Sahana Rao

Sahana Chinthapatla is renowned for her expertise in scientific and medical writing, backed by an MPharm in Pharmacology and years of experience in research analysis and scientific writing.

As the Head Business Writer at Elite Expertise, she provides insightful and well-researched content on KAPS, OPRA, PEBC, PSI and global pharmacy pathways, guiding aspiring pharmacists in their professional journeys.

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Head Business Writer | Elite Expertise