Walgreens recruiting pharmacists with big signing bonus

Pharmacists are in big demand these days.

Walgreens Boots Alliance is offering signing bonuses as high as $75,000 to new pharmacists in select markets, reported CNN. The move comes as some Walgreens locations have been operating with reduced pharmacy hours due to a chronic shortage of pharmacists. News of the bonuses was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The bonuses come with a requirement that the pharmacists remain in their positions for a specific period of time, typically a year or longer.

“This is one of many steps to address pharmacy staffing in some areas, in order to best meet the needs of our customers and patients," Walgreens said in a statement, reported CNN.

The company said that sign-on bonuses vary and are part of a larger investment focused on recruitment and retention as well as "recognizing our current pharmacy staff for their hard work and dedication.”

Walgreens typically offers signing bonuses to pharmacists around $30,000.

The median annual salary for pharmacists was $128,570 in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.