Pharmacist Salary: Detroit, MI vs Seattle, WA
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Pharmacists in Detroit, MI and Seattle, WA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Detroit, MI | Seattle, WA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $137,770 | $162,870▲ | -$25,100 |
| 25th Percentile | $124,210 | $139,400▲ | -$15,190 |
| 75th Percentile | $155,900 | $192,860▲ | -$36,960 |
| 90th Percentile | $170,230 | $209,460▲ | -$39,230 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 100.3 | 111.1 | -10.8 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $137,361 | $146,554▲ | -$9,193 |
| Total Employment | 4,280 | 4,440 | -160 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Seattle, WA pays $25,100 more (median: $137,770 vs $162,870). BEA's regional price parity is 100.3 in Detroit, MI and 111.1 in Seattle, WA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $137,361 and $146,554, so Seattle, WA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $25,100 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $137,361 for Detroit and $146,554 for Seattle, a difference of $9,193.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 4,280 Pharmacist jobs in the Detroit area and 4,440 in the Seattle area. For broader context, see our Michigan overview and the full Pharmacist city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pharmacist salary higher in Detroit, MI or Seattle, WA?
Seattle, WA has the higher median wage for Pharmacists ($162,870 per year, against $137,770 in Detroit, MI; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $137,361 in Detroit, MI and $146,554 in Seattle, WA.
How do prices compare between Detroit, MI and Seattle, WA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 100.3 for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan area and 111.1 for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 0.3% above the national level for Detroit, MI and 11.1% above the national level for Seattle, WA.
Which city pays Pharmacists more once local prices are counted?
Seattle, WA: at national-average prices its median Pharmacist wage is $146,554, against $137,361 for Detroit, MI. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.