Chains hire interns early and keep them through school, so the job you take as a student is often the employer you graduate into. Whether its hours also count toward licensure is a question for your board rather than the store.

Median Salaryof Pharmacy Intern

10%$17.00/hr

median$26.15/hr

90%$35.29/hr

Top Benefitsof Pharmacy Intern

Dental insurance100%
Vision insurance100%
Wellness programs100%
Employee discount82%
Health insurance18%

Immunizing is the shift most interns work

Chains staff vaccination season with interns, and it's the part of the job with its own preparation attached: an immunization certificate from a recognized training program, a current CPR card, and whatever your state requires before an intern may inject under a pharmacist's supervision. Interns who arrive already certified are the ones who get scheduled for it. Ask what a store expects before October, because the training takes weeks to arrange.

More pharmacy roles

Your questions about pharmacy intern jobs, answered

Who hires pharmacy interns?: Community pharmacy takes the most students during school, ahead of hospitals, so the chains and the independents are where most internships sit. Hospitals hire interns as well, in smaller numbers and often closer to the start date.
When do employers want the pharmacy intern registration in hand?: By your start date rather than at application, in most cases, and it takes longer than students expect. Boards want the application, a dean's certification that you're enrolled, and in some states a fingerprint-based criminal check. California, Texas and Ohio ask every applicant for one, while Florida exempted interns from its screening law in 2025. The fee varies as much: Texas and Florida charge nothing, California $175. Budget several weeks either way. States also differ on when you qualify: Texas and New York want your first professional year finished first. Our guide to becoming a pharmacy intern covers the application itself.
Can I work as a pharmacy intern in a different state from my school?: Yes, and plenty of students take a summer job in their home state. The registration comes from the state where you work, so that means a second application and its own fee. The hours usually do count back home if you were registered where you earned them and worked under a licensed preceptor, with the originating board certifying them across. Settle that with your licensing board before the summer starts.