General Contractor vs Pharmacist

Side-by-side license comparison

Live DataLast updated: April 13, 2026·Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards

Quick Verdict

Higher Earning

Pharmacist

Easier to Obtain

General Contractor

Lower Fee

General Contractor

Detailed Comparison

Metric	General Contractor	Pharmacist
Category	Trades	Healthcare
Median Salary	$101,480	$136,030
Avg Initial Fee	$359	$402
Difficulty	Medium-High	Very High
Education	Experience-based (2-5 years)	PharmD (6 years)
Exam	State Contractor Exam	NAPLEX + MPJE
Time to License	3-6 years	6-8 years
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	14 hrs	30 hrs
States Requiring	41 of 53	53 of 53

Salary Comparison

General Contractor

Median Salary$101,480

Avg Salary$101,480

Avg License Fee$359

Pharmacist

Median Salary$136,030

Avg Salary$136,030

Avg License Fee$402

Pharmacist earns $34,550 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $345,500 in additional earnings.

Explore Each Occupation

General ContractorView all 53 state requirements PharmacistView all 53 state requirements

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LicenseWize Editorial TeamData Specialists

The LicenseWize editorial team aggregates and verifies licenses data from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.

✓ Sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards✓ Quarterly review✓ No paid placements

Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more: General Contractor or Pharmacist?

Pharmacist has a higher median salary at $136,030 per year, compared to $101,480 for General Contractor — a difference of $34,550 annually.

Is it harder to get licensed as a General Contractor or a Pharmacist?

General Contractor licensing is rated Medium-High difficulty, while Pharmacist is rated Very High. General Contractor requires Experience-based (2-5 years) and typically takes 3-6 years, compared to PharmD (6 years) and 6-8 years for Pharmacist.

Which license costs more: General Contractor or Pharmacist?

Pharmacist has a higher average initial fee of $402, while General Contractor averages $359 — a difference of $43.

Do all states require a license for General Contractor and Pharmacist?

General Contractor requires licensing in 41 of 53 jurisdictions, while Pharmacist requires it in 53 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: General Contractor or Pharmacist?

General Contractor typically takes 3-6 years from start to licensure, while Pharmacist takes 6-8 years. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.

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Detailed Comparison

Metric	General Contractor	Pharmacist
Category	Trades	Healthcare
Median Salary	$101,480	$136,030
Avg Initial Fee	$359	$402
Difficulty	Medium-High	Very High
Education	Experience-based (2-5 years)	PharmD (6 years)
Exam	State Contractor Exam	NAPLEX + MPJE
Time to License	3-6 years	6-8 years
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	14 hrs	30 hrs
States Requiring	41 of 53	53 of 53

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more: General Contractor or Pharmacist?

Pharmacist has a higher median salary at $136,030 per year, compared to $101,480 for General Contractor — a difference of $34,550 annually.

Is it harder to get licensed as a General Contractor or a Pharmacist?

Which license costs more: General Contractor or Pharmacist?

Pharmacist has a higher average initial fee of $402, while General Contractor averages $359 — a difference of $43.

Do all states require a license for General Contractor and Pharmacist?

General Contractor requires licensing in 41 of 53 jurisdictions, while Pharmacist requires it in 53 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: General Contractor or Pharmacist?

General Contractor typically takes 3-6 years from start to licensure, while Pharmacist takes 6-8 years. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.