BENTONVILLE, Ark.— Walmart continues to expand its health and wellness footprint through new offerings and faster, more convenient deliveries.
To support the associates that are behind these services, the company is promoting some 3,000 of its pharmacy employees to positions as team leaders, with pay raises.
“This investment is really about supporting the pharmacy teams who show up for their communities every day,” said senior vice president of pharmacy Kevin Host. “We want care to feel simple and close to home. Our pharmacists and technicians make that possible. They’re the reason customers can count on us as a trusted, one-stop destination for wellness.”
The changes allow pharmacists to focus more on patient care while enhancing after-hours access, when 75% of testing and treatments occur, and when other providers may not be available. That makes Walmart a key resource for everything from flu shots and expanded vaccines to chronic condition care.
“For most Americans, the health care professionals they see most are part of their local pharmacy team,” the company said in announcing the move. “In nearly 4,600 locations across the country, our pharmacy associates support customers at every stage of their care journey, from answering questions and managing immunizations to helping people stay on track with their health over time.”
No college degree is required to become a pharmacy sales associate, technician or operations team lead, and Walmart pays for associates to become certified pharmacy technicians.
The pay for those affected now averages $28 an hour and carries the possibility of rising to $42 an hour. At the time the promotions and raises were unveiled, in late January, pharmacy technicians earned $22 an hour, on average, with increased pay ranging to $40.50.
Over the past decade, more than 22,000 Walmart pharmacy associates have completed their certification, opening the door to leadership roles and broader career growth. Pharmacy associates also receive access to benefits such as medical insurance; 401(k) plans with 6% company match; paid time off, including parental leave; and discounts on most items in the retailer’s stores.
“For associates like Leisha Gonzalez, a newly promoted pharmacy operations team lead in Callaway, Fla., these opportunities represent both personal and professional growth,” Host said in announcing the promotions. “After starting as a cashier 10 years ago, Leisha moved into pharmacy, completed her technician certification with Walmart’s support, and now leads a team of seven.”
The pharmacy promotions are the latest of several wage adjustments enacted during the tenure of Doug McMillon, who retired as Walmart’s chief executive officer shortly before the pharmacy raises were announced. In 2025, the average hourly wage for Walmart’s U.S. associates was about $18.25 an hour.
Sites Make Clinical Research Practical and Approachable
An initiative to connect communities with relevant clinical research opportunities launches this spring with the opening of research sites in three former Walmart Health locations and one rural Walmart store.
The premise guiding the initiative is that progress occurs when care starts closer to where people live, according to Walmart Healthcare Research Institute, which is collaborating on the project with Care Access, an independent clinical research organization.
The sites host Care Access clinical teams, whose members will offer health screenings, share information about research opportunities, and help individuals explore participation in studies near to home.
Clinical research should feel practical and approachable, not distant or intimidating, especially for communities that have had difficulty participating in opportunities for innovative treatments, according to Emily Aaronson, Walmart’s chief medical officer. “When care feels easier to navigate and closer to home, it becomes more approachable and more human,” she says.
The new sites go beyond WHRI’s no-cost mobile health screening events to create a more consistent local presence for research engagement. Institute officials assert that long distances, limited awareness and competing responsibilities can make research feel out of reach for many people. Bringing it into familiar community settings opens doors to potential benefits, including early access to treatments and therapies that may shape the future of care.
WALMART
KEY EXECUTIVE
Kevin Host, Senior Vice President of Pharmacy
HEADQUARTERS
702 SW 8th St., Bentonville, Ark. 72716Phone: (479) 273-4000Website: walmart.com
TRADE CLASS — Mass Merchant
FULL-YEAR RESULTS
Pharmacy sales — $42.4 billion*
Overall sales — $713 billion
Number of stores — 5,212 (U.S.)
Number of pharmacies — 5,188**
Number of states operating — 50, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico
*CDR estimate.
**Includes warehouse club pharmacies.
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