Pharmacies and drug retailers
NAICS Code: 456110
BLS projects Pharmacies and drug retailers to contract -1.6% through 2034 - 4.0 points slower than the 2.4% average across 291 U.S. industries, faster-growing than 24% of them. Its trajectory is close to the typical U.S. industry.
Where Pharmacies and drug retailers sits among all industries
Projected 2024-2034 growth across 291 U.S. industries (BLS). This industry is marked in rose.
Where Pharmacies and drug retailers sits by projected growth
Projected employment change across tracked industries
-1.6% Top 76% higher than 24% of 291 industries
Industries, banded by projected growth
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more industries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source BLS Employment Projections · 2026-05-15
Contraction read
Signature: 45.5% mean employer AI exposure across 87 tracked public companies .
Projected decline plus a mid-sized public-company sample argues for checking adjacent occupations before treating any single firm grade as destiny.
NAICS 456110 · 709,800 workers (2024, ×1k) · source BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034. Employer AI grades are occupation-weighted scores from our SEC cohort, not automation predictions for every establishment in Pharmacies and drug retailers.
Public companies in this NAICS sector
NAICS sector 44-45/44/45 bucket (includes sibling industries). 87 companies scored · mean AI exposure 45.5%.
| Company | AI grade |
|---|---|
| Abercrombie & Fitch Co /De/ | C |
| Academy Sports & Outdoors, Inc. | C |
| Advance Auto Parts Inc | C |
| Albertsons Companies, Inc. | C |
| Amazon Com Inc | C |
| American Eagle Outfitters Inc | C |
| Aramark | C |
| Asbury Automotive Group Inc | C |
Grades are occupation-weighted AI exposure from our employer corpus - not a claim that every establishment in Pharmacies and drug retailers shares the same risk. Source: SEC company metadata + O*NET-weighted scores · as of 2026-05-15.
Peer Industries by Employment
How Pharmacies and drug retailers (NAICS 456110) compares to industries of similar size, ordered by 2024 BLS employment.
| Industry | 2024 | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Personal care services | 766,900 | +8.9% |
| Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers | 751,700 | +5.7% |
| Pharmacies and drug retailers | 709,800 | -1.6% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals; local | 700,500 | +2.4% |
| Business support services | 691,000 | -2.8% |
| Direct insurance (except life, health, and medical) carriers | 678,500 | +2.6% |
Peers are selected by similarity in 2024 employment. Figures in thousands. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people work in Pharmacies and drug retailers?
As of 2024, the Pharmacies and drug retailers industry employs approximately 709,800 workers in the United States, according to BLS Employment Projections data.
Is Pharmacies and drug retailers growing or declining?
The Pharmacies and drug retailers industry is projected to decline by 1.6% from 2024 to 2034, a net change of -11,500 jobs over the decade.
Which public companies sit near Pharmacies and drug retailers?
87 tracked public companies in NAICS sector 44-45/44/45 (sibling industries included). Sample names include Abercrombie & Fitch Co /De/, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Inc., Advance Auto Parts Inc. Grades are occupation-weighted AI exposure scores, not company-specific automation forecasts.
How will AI affect the Pharmacies and drug retailers industry?
Among 87 tracked public companies tied to this industry's sector, the mean occupation-weighted AI exposure score is 45.5% (most common grade C). That is a staffing-pattern signal from our employer corpus, not a forecast for every firm in Pharmacies and drug retailers. Pair it with occupation-level AI exposure scores for role-specific risk.
Where to look next under contraction
What to do with this
Use Pharmacies and drug retailers' employment and exposure numbers above to look up individual employers and occupations, not just the industry aggregate.
- See how public employers in this and other industries rank nationwide by AI displacement risk. Employer AI risk rankings
- Browse individual occupations to see exposure and wage detail below the industry level. Browse all occupations
- Compare this industry's outlook against a specific occupation or employer using the interactive tool. Workforce comparison tool
Industry-level figures are aggregates; individual employer and occupation outcomes vary.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034; SEC employer metadata for AI grades Employment figures in thousands. Employer grades are occupation-weighted exposure scores, not firm automation forecasts