These are legal minimums. An employer can pay more, and hospital pharmacists are on separate state agreements.
Which award covers pharmacists
Pharmacists employed in community (retail) pharmacies are covered by the Pharmacy Industry Award 2020 [MA000012]. The award has four pharmacist classifications, and which one you are on depends on experience and responsibility, not on your job title.
A Pharmacist is registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law. An Experienced pharmacist has at least 4 years' full-time (or part-time equivalent) experience in a community pharmacy. A Pharmacist in charge assumes responsibility for the day-to-day supervision and functioning of the pharmacy, and a Pharmacist manager is responsible to the owner for all aspects of the business (award Schedule A, A.7–A.10).
Hospital pharmacists are not covered by this award. Public hospital pharmacists are paid under state health enterprise agreements, which have their own classifications and rates.
Read the Pharmacy Industry Award 2020 [MA000012] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 July 2026), or see every classification on our MA000012 award rates page.
Pharmacist award pay rates 2026–27
These rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Part-time employees are paid the same hourly rates for the hours they work.
Pharmacist minimum pay rates 2026–27
Clause 16.1, Table 3 of the award. Casual rates are the award's own Schedule B figures for ordinary hours between 8 am and 7 pm, Monday to Friday.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PharmacistRegistered pharmacist | $41.74 | $1,586.30 | $82,488 | $52.18 |
| Experienced pharmacist4+ years' community pharmacy experience | $45.72 | $1,737.40 | $90,345 | $57.15 |
| Pharmacist in chargeRuns the pharmacy day to day | $46.80 | $1,778.40 | $92,477 | $58.50 |
| Pharmacist managerResponsible to the owner for the whole business | $52.15 | $1,981.60 | $103,043 | $65.19 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Pharmacy student and intern rates
The same Table 3 rates for pharmacy students and for interns completing their supervised practice.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy student — 1st year of course | $27.81 | $1,056.80 | $54,954 | $34.76 |
| Pharmacy student — 2nd year of course | $28.45 | $1,081.00 | $56,212 | $35.56 |
| Pharmacy student — 3rd year of course | $29.45 | $1,119.10 | $58,193 | $36.81 |
| Pharmacy student — 4th year of course | $30.66 | $1,165.10 | $60,585 | $38.33 |
| Pharmacy intern — 1st half of training | $33.99 | $1,291.50 | $67,158 | $42.49 |
| Pharmacy intern — 2nd half of training | $35.14 | $1,335.50 | $69,446 | $43.93 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Pharmacist penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday, 7 am to 8 am | 150% | 175% |
| Monday–Friday, 7 pm to 9 pm | 125% | 150% |
| Monday–Friday, 9 pm to midnight | 150% | 175% |
| Saturday, 8 am to 6 pm | 125% | 150% |
| Saturday, 7 am to 8 am | 200% | 225% |
| Saturday, 6 pm to 9 pm | 150% | 175% |
| Saturday, 9 pm to midnight | 175% | 200% |
| Sunday, 7 am to 9 pm | 150% | 175% |
| Sunday, before 7 am or after 9 pm | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday | 225% | 250% |
Percentages of the minimum hourly rate (clause 22.3, Table 6). Casual percentages already include the 25% casual loading. Penalty rates are not added on top of overtime rates (cl 22.2).
Overtime
- Monday to Saturday: 150% for the first 2 hours, then 200% (cl 21.4, Table 5).
- Sunday: 200% all day. Public holiday: 250% all day.
- Overtime applies to hours over 38 a week (or 76 over two weeks), over 12 hours in a day, between midnight and 7 am, or outside the agreed roster.
- A casual working overtime is paid the overtime rate without the 25% casual loading (cl 21.4(c)).
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Allowances
| Allowance | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Home medicines review / residential medication management review allowance | $106.40 per week | For a pharmacist of any classification who is required by the employer to perform HMRs or RMMRs (cl 19). |
Pharmacist pay after tax
On the Pharmacist rate of $1,586.30 a week, a full-time pharmacist earns $82,488 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $82,488 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$15,266 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,650 |
| Take-home per year | $65,572 |
| Take-home per week | $1,261 |
2026–27 resident tax rates with the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy; no HECS-HELP repayment and no Medicare levy surcharge. Superannuation is paid on top by your employer. For the full breakdown see take-home pay on $80,000 (the nearest step to $82,488), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What pharmacists actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Pharmacists (ANZSCO 2515) at $1,956 a week ($52 an hour), against $1,852 a week for all occupations.
Median weekly pay of full-time, non-managerial adult employees before tax and salary sacrifice, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) as published by Jobs and Skills Australia. It reflects what employers actually pay, including people on enterprise agreements or above-award salaries, so it is a market figure, not a legal minimum.
What this page does not show
- Hospital and public-sector pharmacist salaries, which come from state health agreements rather than this award.
- Pharmacy assistant junior rates, which change from 1 December 2026 — see the pharmacy award page.
- Annualised salary arrangements under clause 18, which must be reconciled against the rates above.
Pharmacist pay questions
Pay rates for other jobs
How this page is sourced▼
Every minimum rate was read from the Fair Work Commission's consolidated text of the Pharmacy Industry Award 2020, consolidated to 1 July 2026, on 23 September 2026. Casual rates are the award's own published figures wherever it publishes them. Nothing is estimated.
The median comes from Jobs and Skills Australia’s occupation profile and is a market figure, not an entitlement. Take-home figures use the same tax engine as the rest of this site. Award rates change every 1 July, so re-check after the next Annual Wage Review.
Sources & References
- 1Pharmacy Industry Award 2020 [MA000012] — consolidated to 1 July 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 2Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
- 4Pharmacists (ANZSCO 2515) occupation profile — ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025— Jobs and Skills Australia
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
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Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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