An Army Pharmacist's Salary

Army pharmacists work in Army medical centres around the world. Most major Army hospitals maintain an in-house pharmacy where they stock commonly used medications. In addition, Army pharmacists may be deployed overseas to manage pharmaceutical operations in places like the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany; Camp Yongsan, Korea; and in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Army pharmacists are officers, and so they receive the base pay that all Army officers receive based on their rank and number of years in service. Most medical professionals pin on the rank of captain almost immediately upon entering the service as a practising pharmacist. As such, captains earn a base pay of £2,412 per month with less than two years of service, and can move up from there based on promotions and experience.

In addition to your base pay, you can also expect to receive BAH, or basic allowance for housing. This non-taxable allowance is based on whether you have dependants and the living expenses for the area in which you are stationed. The more expensive the area, the higher your BAH allowance will be. For a US captain, your BAH can be anywhere from £592 in Caribou, Maine, to more than £1,885 for a duty station in Honolulu County, Hawaii.

As a medical professional, the Army will pay you an additional amount based on your experience and education as a pharmacist. Military medical special pay ranges from £1,625 to £3,900 per month depending on your experience. Medical professionals can also qualify for bonuses of £7,800 or more for agreeing to extend their service obligations for one year.

The Army offers a generous student loan repayment program for those officers who serve out their full commitments. Specifically, the Army will help you repay up to £78,000 in student loans. With the high costs of attending medical/pharmacy school, this can be an important incentive for recent graduates.