CA · Escondido · Updated October 15, 2026

Pharmacist jobs in Escondido, CA

Pharmacists in the Escondido area earn a median of $78.78 per hour, about $163,860 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $73.05 and $94.19. That ranks 17th of 383 U.S. metro areas for pharmacist pay, and 163rd of 340 once local prices are factored in. 21 open roles with published pay are listed for Escondido and its metro area. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Escondido.

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Open Pharmacist roles near Escondido

Roles in other cities of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area.

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Named employers near Escondido, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Who is hiring pharmacists near Escondido

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Sharp HealthCare13$92.12
Sharp Healthcare6$93.07
Rady Children's Hospital2$84.26

Pharmacist pay in Escondido, CA

The metro median is 1% below the California statewide median of $79.40 per hour. Nationally the median is $66.10 per hour. BLS counts about 2,820 pharmacists employed in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area, 1.8 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.86).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$61.05$126,9808% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$73.05$151,94011% above U.S. median
Median$78.78$163,86019% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$94.19$195,92042% above U.S. median
Top 10%$100.04$208,08051% above U.S. median

How Escondido ranks

  • 17th of 383 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 163rd of 340 after adjusting for local prices
  • 14th of 24 California metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Pharmacists (SOC 29-1051), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in Escondido

  • Overall prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad run 12% above the U.S. average (index 111.9, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 79% above the U.S. average (index 179.3).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $78.78 median hour buys what $70.41 buys at the national price level, 7% above the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Escondido paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$2,836
  • Per year: $141,804
  • Per month: $11,817

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Escondido

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$205
Meals and incidentals per day$86
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,037
13-week assignment$26,481

Travel pharmacist assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in Escondido

CMS lists 1 hospital in Escondido, 0 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of pharmacists.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Palomar Health Downtown Campus
Escondido, CA		Acute careGovernment and federal3 of 5Yes

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Pharmacist pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
San Marcos, CA6 mi$78.78/hr96,620
Vista, CA10 mi$78.78/hr99,322
Temecula, CA25 mi$77.23/hr112,431
Murrieta, CA31 mi$77.23/hr112,539

Pharmacist jobs in California · Pharmacist jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in California

PharmD from an accredited program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

California state guide

Other healthcare roles in Escondido

Escondido city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do pharmacists make in Escondido, CA?

Pharmacists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area have a median pay of $78.78 per hour, about $163,860 a year. The middle half earn between $73.05 and $94.19 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Escondido a good place for pharmacists once cost of living is counted?

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranks 163rd of 340 metro areas for pharmacist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 17th of 383 before adjusting. Overall prices run 12% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring pharmacists in Escondido?

We list 21 open roles with published pay from 3 employers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Escondido.

Do I need a California license to work in Escondido as a pharmacist?

PharmD from an accredited program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Escondido?

The federal per diem benchmark in Escondido is $205 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,037 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place pharmacists in Escondido?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Escondido and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Escondido.

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · Pharmacist near Escondido, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Pharmacist pay reportEscondido, CA · pay published by employers, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare SystemSalinas, CA · 3 postings$99.69/ hr$78–$109
  • Kaweah Delta Health Care DistrictVisalia, CA · 3 postings$98.56/ hr$71–$118
  • Veterans Health AdministrationPalo Alto, CA · 2 postings$97.43/ hr$85–$110
  • Sharp HealthcareLa Mesa, CA · 6 postings$93.07/ hr$80–$114

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$71Median$92.12High$110

58 Pharmacist postings with published pay in California, 56 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 58 Pharmacist roles

  1. Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager - Pharmacy Benefits Manager)Permanent
    $177k–$228k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Palo Alto, CA · posted today
  2. Pharmacist Full TimePermanent
    $77.34–$108.26/ hour
    Trinity Health · California · posted today

+ 56 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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