Pharmacist salary in Perth: award rates and the national picture
If you are looking for a single published figure for a pharmacist salary in Perth, the short answer is that no official source gives an occupation-specific average for that city. The best available benchmarks are the national award minimums under the Pharmacy Industry Award and the broader state average for Western Australia. This article uses those figures to sketch where a Perth pharmacist’s pay might sit against the national full-time average line of about $108,352 a year.
Award minimums for pharmacists
Fair Work’s Pharmacy Industry Award 2020 sets minimum rates for pharmacists across Australia, including Perth. As of 1 July 2026, the minimum hourly rate for a Pharmacist is $41.74, with a weekly rate of $1,586.30 for a 38-hour week. That works out to about $82,488 a year before tax. Higher classifications attract higher minimums:
- Experienced Pharmacist: $45.72 per hour, $1,737.40 per week (~$90,345 per year)
- Pharmacist in charge: $46.80 per hour, $1,778.40 per week (~$92,477 per year)
- Pharmacist manager: $52.15 per hour, $1,981.60 per week (~$103,043 per year)
These are the legal minimums. Many pharmacists in Perth earn above these rates, especially those with experience or in managerial roles. The award also includes penalty rates for evening, Saturday, and overtime work, which can boost take-home pay. Fair Work provides the full award.
How Perth compares to the national average
The national full-time adult average ordinary-time earnings, as measured by the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026, is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year. This is the reference line used on this site. The award minimum for a Pharmacist ($82,488) is about 24% below that line. However, the Western Australian full-time average is $2,227.40 per week, or about $115,825 per year – above the national average. This suggests that many full-time workers in WA, including pharmacists, earn more than the national typical.
If a Perth pharmacist earns the WA average, their salary would be about $7,500 above the national line. If they earn at the award minimum, they would be about $25,864 below it. The true figure for most pharmacists likely falls somewhere between the award minimum and the state average, depending on experience, employer, and hours.
Take-home pay sketch for a Perth pharmacist
Using the 2026–27 resident tax rates (tax-free threshold $18,200; 15% on $18,201–$45,000; 30% on $45,001–$135,000; plus 2% Medicare levy), we can estimate take-home pay for two scenarios:
- Award minimum Pharmacist ($82,488): Tax and Medicare about $16,497, leaving about $65,991 per year, or $1,269 per week.
- WA average earner ($115,825): Tax and Medicare about $28,146, leaving about $87,679 per year, or $1,686 per week.
These are rough estimates. Actual take-home depends on deductions, HELP repayments, and other factors. The site’s Place a salary on the line tool lets you enter your own figure to see where it sits against the national average.
Other benchmarks: medians and minimum wage
For context, the national full-time median earnings (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025) are about $90,532 per year, and the all-employees median is about $74,100. The award minimum for a Pharmacist ($82,488) sits between these two medians. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or about $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week – well below the pharmacist award minimum.
State-by-state comparison
Full-time average ordinary-time earnings vary across states. Here are the annualised figures (×52) from the ABS May 2026 release:
- New South Wales: $109,658
- Victoria: $106,137
- Queensland: $106,064
- South Australia: $102,450
- Western Australia: $115,825
- Tasmania: $96,008
- Northern Territory: $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: $119,090
Western Australia’s average is the second highest among the states, behind the ACT. This reflects the state’s strong mining and resources sector, which can lift overall earnings. Pharmacists in Perth may benefit from this higher general wage environment.
Where to find more
For occupation-specific data, the ABS publishes median earnings by occupation in its Employee Earnings and Hours release, but the most recent (August 2025) does not break down by city. You can explore Job medians on this site for national pharmacist figures. For a deeper look at how your salary compares, use the States and territories page to see state averages.
Summary
A precise pharmacist salary for Perth is not published, but the award minimum of about $82,488 and the Western Australian full-time average of about $115,825 provide a range. Most Perth pharmacists likely earn between these figures, with many above the national average line of $108,352. The How the figures are set page explains the sources behind these numbers.