Over 7,000 Walmart Pharmacists and Opticians Receiving Raises, Career Development Opportunities

Overall, Walmart employs 16,000 pharmacists and 12,000 opticians.

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Walmart raised pay for approximately 3,700 pharmacists and over 4,000 opticians in stores across the country as part of their ongoing effort to recognize the great work of their Health & Wellness associates while investing for the future.

Walmart’s pharmacy and vision center associates are one of the most accessible healthcare providers for families in many communities. These associates contribute to their quality of care by offering prescriptions and immunizations at low prices, providing counsel or helping customers save money to live better.

Overall, Walmart employs 16,000 pharmacists and 12,000 opticians.

The retail giant’s initiative to offer attractive pay in every market they operate reflects in the pay raise of all associates. In relation to the recent raise for Health & Wellness associates, the average salary for pharmacists is now more than $140,000, not including bonuses and incentives. Those investments are an addition to the raises for 36,000 pharmacy technicians that took place last year.

After investments within the optician and vision department, it’s expected the average wage for opticians to be more than $22.50 an hour. The raise takes place as Walmart launches a new Optician Development Program to help their vision associates access higher-paying roles and more career opportunities. The program will obtain nationally recognized certification and licensure from the American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners as they continue to help patients see better to live better.

Walmart told The New York Times that the current salary rate for opticians is based on location and role.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the current mean annual wage for a pharmacist in the U.S. is $129,410. The mean hourly wage for opticians is $21.58.

The new raise increase is, again, just another effort in providing career advancement opportunities for employees.

For instance, the retailer announced in January of this year it would boost employee’s average wages to more than $17.50. The boost is an increase from the previous average pay of more than $17 an hour, and a more than $3.50 hourly increase since Fall 2020, according to Winsight Grocery Business.

Walmart announced the January raise to associates with the addition of also investing in the associates who run their Auto Care Centers or adding new college degrees and certificates to their Live Better U education program, and lastly expanding their Associate-to-Driver Program, which pays store associates to earn their commercial driver's license and become a Walmart truck driver earning up to $110,000 in their first year.