May 2022 data published recently by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) put the number of pharmacists working in the United States at over 325,000.  The twelve-state Southeastern U.S. was home to over 88,700 employed pharmacists at that time.  With only one state having a pharmacist annual mean wage level above the national average, and six states in the region ranking among the bottom ten states nationally for pharmacist annual mean wages, the Southeastern U.S. was the worst region in the country for pharmacist pay.  A more detailed examination of BLS data from May 2022 reveals the following about pharmacist pay in the Southeastern U.S.:

Pharmacist Pay in the Southeastern U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AL	5,650	$125,820	29th
AR	3,180	$120,440	49th
FL	22,420	$121,560	42nd
GA	10,320	$125,290	33rd
KY	5,320	$127,410	25th
LA	5,010	$121,090	47th
MS	3,220	$121,860	41st
NC	11,110	$128,330	18th
SC	5,150	$121,120	46th
TN	7,780	$120,600	48th
VA	7,250	$130,350	14th
WV	2,360	$119,000	50th
U.S.	325,480	$129,410	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on March 30, 2024