Pharmacist states
51
Below median
Occupational licensing · Healthcare · 51 state boards
Pharmacist Licensing Requirements by State
Pharmacist licensing rules differ by state. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) compilation and responsible state boards (current as of May 15, 2026), this registry compares education hours, initial and renewal fees, exams, background checks and reciprocity notes across 51 boards. Use the table to compare differences, then verify the current rule with the responsible board before applying.
Pharmacist across 51 state boards. Nearest coverage peers (51-state band): Athletic Trainer, Certified Nurse-Midwife, Dental Assistant.
- States regulated
- 51
- Avg initial fee
- $215
- Require an exam
- 100%
- Avg education hours
- 4,689
Board Pathway Strip
Pharmacist: 51 boards · ~4,689 avg pre-licensure hrs · exam on 100% · background check on 100% · avg first fee $215. Same-lane boards: Athletic Trainer, Certified Nurse-Midwife, Dental Assistant.
- Athletic Trainer
- Certified Nurse-Midwife
- Dental Assistant
- Dental Hygienist
- Dietetic Technician
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
Pharmacist vs. every tracked profession
Average confirmed pre-licensure education hours, board-sourced state requirements
4,689 6th of 47 higher than 41 of 47 professions
professions with confirmed education-hour requirements, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more professions. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainCredential NCSL and state-board corpus · 2026
Dispenses medications and counsels patients. Requires PharmD degree.
Pharmacist initial fees swing $100 (NH) to $347 (CA), a $247 spread across 51 boards ; Athletic Trainer often lands on a different fee band.
Board thresholds for Pharmacist drift board-to-board; the same pattern shows up on Athletic Trainer and Certified Nurse-Midwife in healthcare. Methodology notes live on our methods page.
Pharmacist edu hrs
4,689 hrs
Top quartile, highest
Pharmacist first fee
$215
Top quartile, highest
Pharmacist renewal
$192
Top quartile, highest
Board gates for Pharmacist: exam on 51/51 (100%), background check on 51/51 (100%) , CE on 51/51 (avg 30 hrs/cycle) . Stack that against Athletic Trainer / Certified Nurse-Midwife before calling this license soft or hard.
Other licenses near Pharmacist's board count
Coverage band
- Security Alarm Installer · 51 states
- Amusement Ride Operator · 51 states
- Animal Breeder · 51 states
- Arborist / Tree Surgeon · 51 states
Hour load
- Veterinarian · 4,919 avg hrs
- Optometrist · 4,459 avg hrs
- HVAC Technician · 3,837 avg hrs
- Physician Assistant · 3,689 avg hrs
Cheapest vs priciest jurisdiction for Pharmacist
A $247 fee spread for the same credential
Initial licensing fees in New Hampshire ($ 100) and California ($ 347) bracket the field, a 3.5× spread for identical practice rights.
NH
New Hampshire
$100 initial licensing fee
CA
California
$347 initial licensing fee
Pharmacist boards vs Athletic Trainer / Certified Nurse-Midwife - state table
51 statesWhat to do with this
Pharmacist is regulated in 51 states -- here's how to use that before you act.
- Pharmacist ranks #6 of 47 professions by average pre-licensure education hours -- see how it compares to similar roles. Browse all professions
- #63 of 97 professions by number of states requiring a license -- see which states are strictest overall. State burden rankings
- Initial fees for Pharmacist range from $100 (NH) to $347 (CA) -- check whether your license transfers before assuming you'd need to pay again. Reciprocity guide
Requirements are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research and verified against state board sites where possible; always confirm current rules with the licensing board before relying on any single row.
Every figure on PlainCredential is rendered directly from NCSL and state occupational- licensing board data, no number is typed in by an editor. Pharmacist requirements from NCSL and state board schedules: 51 rows, no hand-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.