Support your community as a vital member of the patient care team. Pharmacy technicians prepare and dispense prescriptions, manage medication inventory, process insurance claims and work closely with pharmacists and other health care professionals.
Employment for pharmacy technicians is projected to grow 7% through 2033, faster than average for all occupations. The U.S. Department of Labor projects more than 47,000 annual openings for pharmacy technicians during the same timeframe. This growth is due to the increasing demand for pharmacy services driven by the larger number of older adults, who typically use more prescriptions than younger people, and the growing prevalence of chronic diseases in the general population.
Salaries for pharmacy technicians vary, depending on location, cost of living and experience. As of 2024, the median pay range for a pharmacy technician in Virginia was $15.47-23.26 per hour.
Undergraduate Pharmaceutical Scientist Career Paths
Making medications makes a difference. As a bachelor's-educated pharmaceutical scientist, you can contribute directly to improving the quality of human life through the development of new drug products, therapies and treatments in various industries.
In the next decade, about 50% of the jobs requiring a bachelor's degree in the pharmaceutical industry are expected to go unfilled due to a talent gap. Employment for these roles in Virginia is projected to grow 5-8% through 2030, faster than average for all occupations.
government and regulatory agencies
medical research organizations
pharmaceutical and life sciences industry
research and development (R&D) laboratories
service laboratories
health care systems
Salaries for pharmaceutical scientists vary, depending on location, cost of living and experience. As of 2024, the median salary range for entry-level pharmaceutical scientists is $52,822 to $65,890 annually. The Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP) notes that compensation in this field can grow significantly with experience and increasing responsibility.
Pharmacists are essential members of the health care team. As a pharmacist, your work across a variety of environments will result in the safe and effective use of medications in your communities and beyond, empowering patients and improving health for all.
Employment for pharmacists is projected to grow 5% through 2033, as fast as average for all occupations. Over the next decade, there will be a projected 14,200 openings for pharmacists. Employment for these roles in Virginia is projected to grow 11% through 2030, faster than average for all occupations.
Salaries for pharmacists vary, depending on location, cost of living and experience. As of 2023, pharmacists earn a median salary of $136,030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Medications save lives. As a master's or doctoral-educated pharmaceutical scientist, you can improve the quality of human life by developing and optimizing new drug products, therapies, interventions and treatments in various industries.
Employment for pharmaceutical scientists – which are classified as chemists/materials scientists or medical scientists by the Bureau of Labor Statistics – is projected to grow 8-11% through 2033, faster than average for all occupations. Over the next decade, there will be a projected 7,800 openings for chemists/materials scientists and 8,900 openings for medical scientists.
Employment for these roles in Virginia is projected to grow 9-15% through 2030, faster than average for all occupations.
government and regulatory agencies
health care systems
medical research organizations
pharmaceutical and life sciences industry
research and development (R&D) laboratories
service laboratories
universities and other academic institutions
Salaries for pharmaceutical scientists vary, depending on location, cost of living and experience. As of 2024, pharmaceutical scientists starting out in their careers can earn an average salary of $85,000, according to the Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP).
"With experience and increasing responsibility, their compensation can grow significantly," says FASHP, which estimates an average salary of $104,000-210,000 for pharmaceutical scientists throughout their career.
