Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences news

Future looks bright for new pharmacists

August 2005

Newly-registered Australian pharmacists are well-paid, fully-employed professionals and most are keen to work in rural areas, a survey has found.

It found pharmacists’ wages almost doubled 12 months after they graduated from universities, rising from an average $30,000 in their pre-registration year to $58,000 the following year.

The survey respondents also had a very high employment rate, with just over 92 per cent in full-time work, and just over 52 per cent planning to work in rural areas.

The Pharmacy Post-Registration Survey for 2005 was conducted by Graduate Careers Australia for the Committee of Heads of Pharmacy Schools in Australia and New Zealand.

The dean of Monash University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor Colin Chapman, who chaired the committee, said the results provided the first true picture of young pharmacists’ income and employment prospects. 

“Until now, Graduate Careers Australia has reported the results of their annual Graduate Destination Survey which is conducted in the year after students have completed their studies at Australian universities,” he said.

“Because pharmacists must undertake a pre-registration year after completing their university studies, their salaries and employment circumstances are substantially different from that year to the next.

“This new survey looks at newly-registered pharmacists in their first real year in the workforce, and it shows that all aspects of their career prospects are healthy.

“It is particularly encouraging to note that earnings for graduate pharmacists are competitive with all other professions, and that survey respondents are keen to work in rural areas, where there are severe shortages of pharmacists,” Professor Chapman said.

Download the Pharmacy Post-Registration report 2005