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Pharmacy Assistant salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a pharmacy assistant is $57,800 per annum, before tax, up $11,900 since 2018.
- Most community pharmacy assistants are paid under the Pharmacy Industry Award, and the level you sit at depends on the qualifications you hold and the duties you take on, so two assistants in the same shop can be on different rates.
- Weekend, evening and public holiday shifts attract penalty rates, which matters in a trade that trades long hours.
- Hospital pharmacy roles and larger chains often apply their own agreements.
The median salary rose by $11,900 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than pharmacy assistant
The largest typical pay rise is $43,900 a year, moving into Pharmacist.
- Pharmacist+$43,900/yr
- Stock Controller+$23,000/yr
- Pharmacy Technician+$22,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher pharmacy assistant salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time pharmacy assistant salary is $57,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Regulatory compliance and Inventory management tend to command a premium over general pharmacy assistant experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Pharmacist pays a typical $43,900 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Pharmacy Assistant salary questions
How much do pharmacy assistants earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a pharmacy assistant is $57,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is pharmacy assistant pay rising or falling?
The median pharmacy assistant salary is up $11,900 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than pharmacy assistant?
Pharmacist pays a typical $43,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to pharmacy assistant.
Related salaries
- Pharmacy Technician salary
- Pharmacist salary
- Stock Controller salary
- Medical Receptionist salary
- Retail Assistant salary
- Checkout Operator salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.