The PGA 2025–26 Community Pharmacy Remuneration Report provides a snapshot of industry remuneration rates and related data across Australia’s community pharmacy workforce.
Drawing on payroll data from 6,280 pharmacy employees across 416 pharmacies, the report offers pharmacy owners and managers an opportunity to benchmark against industry averages and better understand emerging workforce trends.
Remuneration remains resilient
In a workforce environment shaped by recruitment challenges, retention concerns and changing models of practice, remuneration remains an important consideration for pharmacy business.
The report found that average Ordinary Time Earnings (OTE) across all classifications rose by 2.8 percent from the previous year.
The largest wage increases were observed across classifications including Pharmacy Interns, Pharmacy Assistants Level 1, and Experienced Pharmacists, while OTE for Pharmacy Managers and Pharmacy Assistants Level 4 fell.
In terms of geographical distribution, Pharmacy Assistants and Pharmacy Students were the classifications with OTE rates most consistent across all states and territories.
Award and market comparison
One of the report’s key functions is helping pharmacies understand how remuneration compares with Award rates and broader market conditions.
Findings revealed that for pharmacists, the average OTE was 32 percent above the PIA classification rate while Pharmacy Manager, Pharmacist in Charge and Experienced Pharmacist categories sat 20 percent above Award rates.
At the same time, significant Award increases during FY25/26 should be considered when comparing year‑on‑year movements.
Regional pressures evident
The report showed further trends across the workforce.
Remuneration generally increases by remoteness, as was evident in 2024–25.
Gender analysis showed overall differences in OTE between male and female pharmacy workers were negligible, while the national average age of the pharmacy workforce across all classifications was 35 years.
Report access details
PGA members can download the full report on the website.
Any pharmacy can register their interest to take part in next year’s survey.
All data is de‑identified, and all participants receive an advance copy of the report.
