Walmart Inc. said Wednesday that it has raised wages for about 3,700 of its pharmacists and more than 4,000 opticians.
Last year, the Bentonville-based retailer raised pay for 36,000 pharmacy technicians.
The average annual salary for Walmart pharmacists is now more than $140,000, plus bonuses and incentives.
The new average wage for Walmart opticians is more than $22.50 an hour.
The company also said it’s started an Optician Development Program to help employees in its vision centers earn nationally recognized certification and licensure from the American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners.
The training is offered through the Optical Training Institute, with Walmart covering all the fees.
“This new program will help our Vision associates access higher-paying roles and more career opportunities,” Kevin Host, senior vice president of health and wellness for pharmacy, and David Reitnauer, vice president of health and wellness, optical, said in a post on Walmart’s corporate blog.
The raises are part of Walmart’s aim to be an employer of choice in these fields, Host and Reitnauer said.