Career comparison
Health Sciences Professor vs. Pharmacist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Pharmacists earn more at the median ($140,910 vs. $107,310), while pharmacists usually get to work faster (6–8 years of training). Health sciences professors teach future doctors, therapists and health professionals. Pharmacists dispense medications safely and help patients use them correctly.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Health Sciences Professor | Pharmacist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $107,310 | $140,910 ($67.75/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $59,270 – $322,020 | $99,290 – $174,230 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +17.9% (much faster than average) | +5.2% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 24,900 | 12,500 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 8+ years | 6–8 years |
| Key credential | Professional license | NAPLEX |
| Work setting | Faculty work in classrooms, simulation labs, clinics and hospitals.. | Pharmacists work in retail pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, mail-order pharmacies and industry.. |
What each job does
Health Sciences Professor
- Teach health science courses
- Supervise clinical training
- Conduct health research
- Practice clinically
- Mentor students
Pharmacist
- Verify prescriptions for accuracy
- Check for drug interactions and allergies
- Counsel patients on medications
- Give vaccinations
- Advise prescribers on therapy
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, high-pay, in-demand, and working with people. They sit in different fields, education & childcare and healthcare, but share transferable skills such as mentoring and attention to detail.
Which should you choose?
Choose health sciences professor if…
- I love my health profession
- I want to teach
- I enjoy mentoring students
Choose pharmacist if…
- I love chemistry and biology
- I’m extremely detail-oriented
- I enjoy helping patients
Still torn? Take the Health Sciences Professor fit quiz and the Pharmacist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, health sciences professor or pharmacist?
Pharmacists earn more at the median: $140,910 versus $107,310 for health sciences professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Pharmacists typically train faster (6–8 years) than health sciences professors (8+ years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects health sciences professors to grow +17.9% from 2025–35, compared with +5.2% for pharmacists.