Insights / Hardest metros by occupation / California
10 metros where Pharmacists are hardest to fill
San Jose pays Pharmacists about $199.0K, 41% above the national median, at a score of 7.2.
San Jose pays Pharmacists about $199.0K, 41% above the national median. That metro scores 7.2, hard band, the tightest on this list.
The Pharmacists bench in San Jose is a modifier, not the whole score: roughly a fifth fewer of these workers than a typical metro, at 1.727 jobs per 1,000.
The last Pharmacists metro on this list is Denver, CO, at 6.6 in the elevated band.
The national median beside the lead pay is about $140.9K.
December 2025 put all-industry openings in California at 3.6 for Pharmacists.
Nationally the rate was 4.0.
For Pharmacists, California sat under that.
Each metro
1San Jose, CA
- Score
- 7.2
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.83
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.727
- Metro median
- $199,040
- Pay ratio
- 1.41
2San Francisco, CA
- Score
- 7.0
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.75
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.547
- Metro median
- $177,410
- Pay ratio
- 1.26
3Portland, OR
- Score
- 6.7
- Band
- Elevated
- Location quotient
- 0.83
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.713
- Metro median
- $168,830
- Pay ratio
- 1.20
4Fresno, CA
- Score
- 6.7
- Band
- Elevated
- Location quotient
- 0.90
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.858
- Metro median
- $169,160
- Pay ratio
- 1.20
5Sacramento, CA
- Score
- 6.7
- Band
- Elevated
- Location quotient
- 1.03
- Jobs per 1,000
- 2.134
- Metro median
- $172,680
- Pay ratio
- 1.23
6San Diego, CA
- Score
- 6.6
- Band
- Elevated
- Location quotient
- 0.89
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.848
- Metro median
- $165,130
- Pay ratio
- 1.17
7Bakersfield, CA
- Score
- 6.6
- Band
- Elevated
- Location quotient
- 0.86
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.781
- Metro median
- $161,930
- Pay ratio
- 1.15
8Minneapolis, MN
- Score
- 6.6
- Band
- Elevated
- Location quotient
- 1.03
- Jobs per 1,000
- 2.132
- Metro median
- $160,990
- Pay ratio
- 1.14
9Bridgeport, CT
- Score
- 6.6
- Band
- Elevated
- Location quotient
- 0.79
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.628
- Metro median
- $157,440
- Pay ratio
- 1.12
10Denver, CO
- Score
- 6.6
- Band
- Elevated
- Location quotient
- 0.79
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.634
- Metro median
- $157,890
- Pay ratio
- 1.12
Ranked table
Swipe the table sideways. The same figures are in the blocks above.
| Rank | Metro | Score | Band | Location quotient | Jobs per 1,000 | Metro median | Pay ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | 7.2 | Hard | 0.83 | 1.727 | $199,040 | 1.41 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | 7.0 | Hard | 0.75 | 1.547 | $177,410 | 1.26 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | 6.7 | Elevated | 0.83 | 1.713 | $168,830 | 1.20 |
| 4 | Fresno, CA | 6.7 | Elevated | 0.90 | 1.858 | $169,160 | 1.20 |
| 5 | Sacramento, CA | 6.7 | Elevated | 1.03 | 2.134 | $172,680 | 1.23 |
| 6 | San Diego, CA | 6.6 | Elevated | 0.89 | 1.848 | $165,130 | 1.17 |
| 7 | Bakersfield, CA | 6.6 | Elevated | 0.86 | 1.781 | $161,930 | 1.15 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | 6.6 | Elevated | 1.03 | 2.132 | $160,990 | 1.14 |
| 9 | Bridgeport, CT | 6.6 | Elevated | 0.79 | 1.628 | $157,440 | 1.12 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | 6.6 | Elevated | 0.79 | 1.634 | $157,890 | 1.12 |
Takeaways
- Quote about $199.0K for Pharmacists in San Jose, 41% above the national median.
- The Pharmacists score in San Jose, CA is 7.2, hard band.
- For Pharmacists, San Jose has roughly a fifth fewer of these workers than a typical metro.
- The last Pharmacists metro here is Denver, CO, at 6.6.
For recruiters
- Start in San Jose, CA.
- Do not copy a national midpoint into San Jose, CA.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Related hiring pages
Methodology
Rows are the scored metro pages for Pharmacists (29-1051) with the highest public market difficulty score, up to 10. Metros under 500 workers are not scored. A metro page is scored only when OEWS employment for that occupation is at least 500. Below that, the page stays up and is left off this ranking. Postsecondary teaching occupations and medical scientists are left off even when they are scored. Nominal weights, before a missing shortage match is rescaled, are projected openings divided by 2025 employment 18%, projected growth 22%, the metro median divided by the U.S. median 40%, how common the occupation is locally compared with the country 8% (the location-quotient column; a lower figure means a thinner local bench), a matching HRSA shortage designation 8%, and statewide all-industry JOLTS for December 2025 4%. Bands are Standard under 4, Elevated from 4 up to 7, and Hard at 7 and above. The California total-nonfarm job openings rate for December 2025 is 3.6. The U.S. rate is 4.0. Both are all-industry JOLTS rates. The article is tagged to California because that state holds the leading metro, so the publishing calendar does not stack it with another California article the same day. Rounded figures in the prose: $199,040 is stated as about $199.0K. a comparison of 1.41 is stated as 41 percent. $140,910 is stated as about $140.9K.
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · May 2025
- BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, total nonfarm · December 2025
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