How much does a Pharmacist make in Tennessee?

BLS puts the average Pharmacist pay in Tennessee at $131,270 a year (BLS, May 2025). On that pay in Tennessee, after federal taxes, FICA, and Tennessee state taxes, your estimated take-home pay is approximately $100,989 annually ($8,416/month).

What is the take-home pay for a Pharmacist in Tennessee?

On a $131,270 salary in Tennessee, your take-home pay is approximately $100,989/year or $8,416/month. Federal tax: $20,239. State tax: $0. FICA: $10,042.

Is $131,270 a good Pharmacist salary?

$131,270 is the BLS average Pharmacist pay in Tennessee, 7% below the US average of $140,920 (BLS, May 2025). The middle 50% in Tennessee earn between $123,820 and $153,380.

How do Tennessee taxes affect Pharmacist salaries?

Tennessee levies state income tax on top of federal taxes. Your estimated state tax on $131,270 is $0. Your total effective tax rate is approximately 23.1%.

What are the career growth prospects for Pharmacists?

In Tennessee, the top 10% earn over $164,430 and the bottom 10% under $88,700 (BLS, May 2025). 3% growth through 2032 (about as fast as average). Related roles include: Clinical Pharmacist, Retail Pharmacist, Hospital Pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician.

How can a Pharmacist in Tennessee reduce their tax bill?

Maximize your 401(k) contribution ($24,500 in 2026) to reduce taxable income. An HSA ($4,400 single / $8,750 family) adds further pre-tax savings. These strategies can save thousands annually — use our calculator to see your exact savings.

Healthcare

Pharmacist Salary in Tennessee (2026)

Average Pharmacist pay in Tennessee

$131,270/year

≈ $63/hour before tax

Middle 50% earn $123,820–$153,380

US average: $140,920

Source: BLS, May 2025

After tax (single filer)

$100,989/year

$8,416/month · effective tax rate 23.07%

Federal $20,239
FICA $10,042
Take-home

Pay by role in Tennessee

Staff Pharmacist (hospital, retail, specialty)BLS · middle 50%$123,820–$153,380
Clinical Specialist / Pharmacy ManagerBLS · 75th–90th percentile$153,380–$164,430
New Graduate PharmacistBLS · 10th–25th percentile$88,700–$123,820

See the full tax breakdown

Category	Amount
Annual Take-Home Pay	$100,989
Monthly Take-Home Pay	$8,416
Biweekly Take-Home Pay	$3,884
Hourly Take-Home Pay based on 2,080 hrs/year	$49/hr
Federal Tax	$20,239
State Tax	$0
FICA Taxes	$10,042
Effective Tax Rate total taxes ÷ gross salary	23.07%

Estimates only — not tax advice. · Full disclaimer →

Tennessee pharmacy comp anchors at $130-148K mid-career staff at HCA Healthcare (Nashville HQ), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, BlueCross BlueShield TN (Chattanooga HQ), and the dense Walgreens / CVS / Kroger retail network. Tennessee charges 0% state income tax on every dollar, and the Hall income tax (which historically taxed dividends and interest at 6%) was fully repealed effective 2021 — so investment income is also 0% state. Property tax is 0.64% effective — among the lowest in the country. The trade-offs: TN retail pharmacy has contracted nationally (Walgreens closures, CVS pricing pressure) and base salary runs slightly below high-tax states like CA or NY. The 0% state stack still produces meaningfully better take-home math at every comp tier.

Not all Pharmacists earn the same — not even close

TN pharmacy splits across hospital, retail chain, specialty/oncology, and PBM/managed-care. Vanderbilt University Medical Center anchors academic + specialty oncology pharmacy; HCA Healthcare's 180+ hospitals run a substantial pharmacy operations network; BlueCross BlueShield TN is one of the largest US Blues plans with PBM functions; Walgreens / CVS / Kroger / Publix retail dense across Nashville / Memphis / Knoxville / Chattanooga. ETSU + UT Health Sciences Memphis + Belmont produce the in-state PharmD pipeline.

Staff Pharmacist (hospital, retail, specialty)

$123,820–$153,380

Vanderbilt / HCA / Methodist Le Bonheur · standard W-2 + benefits + retirement match

Source: BLS May 2025 · Pharmacists · Tennessee · middle 50%

Clinical Specialist / Pharmacy Manager

$153,380–$164,430

BCOP / oncology cert premium · Vanderbilt-Ingram / HCA cancer centers

Source: BLS May 2025 · Pharmacists · Tennessee · 75th–90th percentile

New Graduate Pharmacist

$88,700–$123,820

Sign-on bonus standard · retail vs hospital track decision year 1

Source: BLS May 2025 · Pharmacists · Tennessee · 10th–25th percentile

Worth knowing: HCA Healthcare (Nashville HQ, ~190 hospitals nationwide) and Vanderbilt University Medical Center anchor TN hospital pharmacy. Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center is NCI-Designated Comprehensive — premium specialty oncology pharmacy market. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (Chattanooga HQ, ~6,500 employees) operates one of the largest US Blues plans with internal PBM functions. ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy + UT Health Sciences Memphis College of Pharmacy + Belmont University College of Pharmacy + Lipscomb College of Pharmacy + Union University School of Pharmacy + South College School of Pharmacy produce the TN PharmD pipeline. TN Board of Pharmacy licensure required; reciprocity with most states.

OBBBA overtime, the 0% state stack, and Tennessee pharmacy industry context

TN state income tax + 0% on investment income (Hall tax repealed 2021)

0.64%

TN effective property tax — among the lowest in the US

$130-148K

TN hospital staff pharmacist base · Vanderbilt / HCA / Methodist Le Bonheur tier

Pharmacist OT depends on classification — most retail pharmacy positions are FLSA-exempt (professional exemption applies), so OT isn't standard. Hospital staff pharmacist roles vary by employer; some are FLSA-exempt (no OT) while shift-based per-diem and nights/weekends often pay shift differentials and OT premiums. Floater retail and per-diem hospital pharmacist work at $65-90/hour is the most common form of OT-eligible income.

The 2025 law (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) created a brand-new federal deduction on the premium portion of overtime pay. For tax years 2025 through 2028, you can deduct up to $12,500/year (single) or $25,000 (married filing jointly) of qualifying OT premium from your federal taxable income. Premium portion = the half of time-and-a-half. For TN pharmacists, this most commonly applies to per-diem hospital shifts paid at hourly rates with OT triggers above 40 hours/week aggregate.

Real numbers for a Vanderbilt staff pharmacist at $138K base + per-diem floater $24K supplemental ($75/hr × 320 hours/year). If structured as hourly with OT premium portion on hours above 40/week aggregate, roughly $4,000-$6,000 typically qualifies as -eligible OT premium. Single filer at the 22-24% federal bracket → about $880-$1,440 federal back annually. TN's 0% state means the OBBBA federal deduction is the entire savings story — no state conformity to wait on.

Tennessee for pharmacists — the honest take

TN pharmacy clusters in three main metros. Nashville (HCA Healthcare HQ + Vanderbilt + Saint Thomas + Williamson Medical) is the densest hospital pharmacy market and largest PBM-adjacent employer market. Memphis (Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare + Regional One Health + UT Health Memphis) anchors west TN with strong oncology / pediatric specialty pharmacy. Knoxville (UT Medical Center + Covenant Health) and Chattanooga (Erlanger + BlueCross BlueShield TN HQ) anchor east TN. Plus the dense Walgreens / CVS / Kroger / Publix retail networks across all metros.

Nashville housing has appreciated sharply since 2020 — Williamson County (Franklin, Brentwood, Nolensville) at $700K-$1.2M, Davidson County premium neighborhoods (Green Hills, Belle Meade) at $800K-$1.5M. Most senior pharmacists commute from Hendersonville (Sumner County, $400-600K) or Murfreesboro (Rutherford County, $375-525K). Memphis suburbs (Germantown, Collierville) at $400-700K, Knoxville suburbs (Farragut, West Knoxville) at $400-650K, Chattanooga (Hamilton County) at $325-500K — all materially more affordable than Nashville post-2020 boom.

Most senior TN pharmacists retire in-state. TN's 0% state extends to retirement income ( / IRA / pension distributions, Social Security all entirely state-tax-free), and the Hall tax repeal (2021) means investment income is also 0% state. Property tax 0.64% effective on a paid-off home is among the lowest in the US. The relocation pressure that pushes senior pharmacists out of CA / NY / NJ doesn't exist in TN — late-career math is already among the most favorable in the country. Common retirement-relocation patterns are intra-state: Smoky Mountains foothills, Knoxville area, or staying in Williamson County.

How Tennessee taxes work for pharmacists (and where the levers are)

Tennessee charges 0% state income tax — full stop. No tax on base salary, hospital shift differentials, retail bonus, per-diem hourly, oncology specialty premium, or PBM/managed-care comp. The Hall income tax (which historically taxed dividends and interest at 6%) was fully repealed effective 2021, so investment income is also 0% state. For a $138K mid-career TN hospital pharmacist, the 0% state means take-home is roughly $4,800-$6,900/year higher than equivalent base in NC (3.99%), GA (4.99%), or KY (3.5%). At $165K oncology specialty pharmacist comp, the gap widens to $5,800-$8,200/year. Compounded over a 25-year career: $150-$200K in cumulative state-tax savings.

maxing is the central active-duty move. Most TN hospital and corporate pharmacy employers offer 401(k) with 4-6% match. At $138K pharmacist comp + ~24% federal bracket, maxing the $24,500 limit saves about $5,700/year in federal tax. HCA / Vanderbilt / BCBSTN typically offer additional voluntary (non-profit hospitals only) or options — Vanderbilt as a 501(c)(3) academic medical center offers both 403(b) and 457(b) for combined $49K/year pre-tax shelter. Federal compounding compounds harder in TN with no state offset on contributions or distributions.

Backdoor Roth IRA matters only at the top of the pharmacist range — at $138K a maxed brings to about $113,500, well under the single phase-out ($153K-$168K, $242K-$252K), so direct Roth works; pharmacy managers near $185K or a heavy per-diem year are where the backdoor comes in. Mega Backdoor Roth at HCA / Vanderbilt / BCBSTN if employer's 401(k) plan offers after-tax contributions + in-plan Roth conversion — adds up to $47.5K/year of additional Roth shelter on top of the standard $24,500 pre-tax. Verify with HR; not all TN pharmacy employers offer the after-tax + in-plan-conversion structure.

Property tax 0.64% effective is the regional advantage. On a $475K Williamson County home that's $3,040/year — vs $5,800 on equivalent NC home (1.21%) or $8,000+ on equivalent NJ home (2.21%). TN homestead exemption applies to elderly / disabled homeowners under specific income thresholds. The TN pharmacist who buys long-term in Williamson County or Knox County captures both the 0% income tax during working years AND low property tax through retirement.

→Stay in TN for retirement — 0% state on + IRA + Social Security + investment income (post-Hall-repeal). Among the most favorable US pharmacist retirement tax structures.
→Max at $24,500/year — at $138K TN pharmacist 24% federal marginal, saves about $5,700/year. At Vanderbilt 501(c)(3), max AND = $49K combined federal pre-tax. Federal-only savings compound harder with no state offset.
→ at HCA / Vanderbilt / BCBSTN if employer's plan offers after-tax + in-plan-Roth-conversion — $47.5K/year additional Roth shelter. Verify with HR.
→Pursue oncology specialty (BCOP cert) at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center — $135-165K + cert premium. NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, premium specialty market.
→Roth IRA $7,500/year — direct at most TN pharmacist comp once the is maxed ( under the $153K single / $242K phase-out start); backdoor only above $168K MAGI.
→ for non-profit hospital pharmacists at Vanderbilt / Methodist Le Bonheur / Erlanger / UT Medical Center — 10 years qualifying payments → tax-free PharmD debt forgiveness on remaining federal balance.

The Tennessee pharmacist career arc — PharmD entry to retirement

Years 0-3 (new grad PharmD): $115-132K with sign-on bonus typical $5-15K. PharmD + TN Board of Pharmacy licensure (NAPLEX + MPJE TN-specific). Decision point: retail (Walgreens / CVS / Kroger / Publix) vs hospital (Vanderbilt / HCA / Methodist Le Bonheur / UT Medical). Retail offers higher entry comp + sign-on but contracting industry; hospital offers PGY1 residency pathway + specialty career arc. accumulating at non-profit hospitals from year 1.

Years 3-10 (established staff / specialty pursuit): $132-160K depending on track. Hospital staff at Vanderbilt / HCA / Methodist Le Bonheur runs $132-148K base + benefits. Specialty pharmacy (oncology, ID, cardiology, ICU) with PGY2 residency + cert (BCOP, BCIDP, BCCCP, BCPS) adds $5-15K premium. PBM/managed-care pivot at BCBSTN / CVS Caremark TN runs $135-170K with corporate-track bonus. Maxing + / at non-profits is the central active-duty move.

Years 10+ (senior + management + retirement): $148-185K pharmacy manager track at retail or hospital. Senior specialty / management roles at HCA HQ Nashville or BCBSTN Chattanooga reach $165-200K. Most TN pharmacists retire in-state — 0% state on + IRA + Social Security + investment income makes the late-career math materially favorable vs CA / NY / NJ peers. Property tax 0.64% on paid-off home keeps housing burden low through retirement.

Where Tennessee pharmacists actually live

TN pharmacist housing tracks employer + metro. Vanderbilt / HCA HQ pharmacists cluster in Nashville (Green Hills, Belle Meade, Williamson County). Memphis pharmacists in Germantown / Collierville. Knoxville pharmacists in Farragut / West Knoxville. Chattanooga pharmacists in Hamilton County suburbs.

Franklin / Brentwood (Williamson County)

Vanderbilt / HCA HQ commute · top-tier schools · $700K-$1.2M family homes

Hendersonville / Mt. Juliet (Sumner / Wilson)

Vanderbilt / HCA commute 25-40 min · $400-600K · more affordable

Germantown / Collierville (Shelby County)

Methodist Le Bonheur / UT Memphis commute · $400-700K · top suburban districts

Farragut / West Knoxville (Knox County)

UT Medical Center / Covenant commute · $400-650K · UT-Knoxville academic adjacency

Hamilton County (Chattanooga)

Erlanger / BCBSTN HQ · $325-500K · cleanest cost-to-pay ratio in TN pharmacy

Most senior TN pharmacists retire in-state — 0% state on retirement income + low property tax (0.64% effective) + lower COL than coastal peer states make the late-career math among the most favorable in the country.

Is this the right move?

Tennessee pharmacy — who it's best for

Working in your favor

+0% state income tax + Hall tax repealed 2021 — also 0% on investment income · among most favorable US pharmacist tax structures
+Property tax 0.64% effective — among the lowest in the country
+Vanderbilt-Ingram NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center · premium oncology pharmacy specialty market
+HCA Healthcare HQ Nashville + BCBSTN HQ Chattanooga · strong corporate-track + PBM career options

Worth knowing before you sign

−TN retail pharmacy contracting nationally — Walgreens closures + CVS pricing pressure affect retail track
−TN base pharmacist comp slightly below coastal high-tax states — 0% state stack required to reach competitive take-home
−Nashville housing appreciated sharply post-2020 — Williamson County premium tier $700K-$1.2M
−Limited collective bargaining for non-academic hospital pharmacists — direct employer negotiation standard

Sources & Methodology

Salary figures are market estimates for Pharmacists in Tennessee and vary by employer, specialty, seniority, and metro. Take-home math assumes a single filer with no dependents, the standard deduction, and no state income tax (Tennessee levies none). Local taxes, insurance premiums, and pre-tax contributions will move your number — run the calculator for your own situation.

Run your own numbers