Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing industry earns $137,404 per year ($66.06/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing Workers Earn?
At $137,404/year (equivalent to $66.06/hour for a full-time worker), pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing wages are significantly above the national average of ~$65,000.
Higher wages in this industry typically reflect specialized skills, professional certifications, or technical expertise required for the work. Employers competing for talent in this space face elevated labor costs.
The typical pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing business employs 49 people. These are larger operations where staffing represents a major cost center and management complexity.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing business generating $87.7M/year with 49 employees at $137,404 each, total payroll represents roughly 7.7% of revenue. Labor costs are relatively low compared to revenue — other costs (materials, equipment, overhead) dominate.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a pharmaceutical preparation manufacturingbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $178,625/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 49 employees = ~$6,732,796/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $66.06/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $87.7M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing employees make?
- The average pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing employee earns $137,404 per year, which is equivalent to $66.06/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is above the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing industry?
- The pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing industry employs 227,929 workers across 4,662 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 49 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).