Walgreens is offering up to $75,000 to recruit pharmacists amid shortage

A Walgreens store is shown in downtown Chicago. In San Francisco, more than 100 million prescription opioid pills were dispensed by Walgreens stores between 2006 and 2020, and during that time, the pharmacy giant failed to investigate hundreds of tho

Pharmacists are in such high demand that Walgreens is offering a hefty signing bonus of up to $75,000. 

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that typically Walgreen signing bonuses are around $30,000 or $50,000. But due to pandemic-related staffing challenges, the signing bonus can be up to $75,000 in certain markets across the U.S.

RELATED: Economists question whether US is currently in a recession

"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, as well as recognizing our current pharmacy staff for their hard work and dedication," Walgreens said in a statement to Fox News.

However, new hires are required to stay on the job for at least a year to receive the bonus.

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

For more, visit FOXBusiness.com