Pharmacy Technician Salary Table
Discover what you could be making as a pharmacy technician
by taking a look at our comprehensive table of information below now.
Find out where you will fit into the pay scale!
This primary purpose orf this page is to clearly illustrate what level of pharmacy technician salary you might be able to expect to receive if you choose to pursue a career in your local pharmacy.
Find out where you will fit into the pay scale!
This primary purpose orf this page is to clearly illustrate what level of pharmacy technician salary you might be able to expect to receive if you choose to pursue a career in your local pharmacy.
| Pharmacy Technician Salary By Experience (Curated Data) | Per Hour | Per Annum | ||
| Low End | High End | Low End | High End | |
| Entry Level (0-3 Years) | $8.28 | $14.02 | $17,220 | $29,170 |
| Intermediate (3-9 Years) | $9.83 | $16.99 | $20,450 | $35,340 |
| Senior/Supervisor (10+ Years) | $11.28 | $20.63 | $23,460 | $42,910 |
The above table demonstrates the average
wage pharmacy technicians can expect to receive according to their
relative experience levels. As you can see, there is quite a range when
it comes to pharmacy technician salaries- these workers can earn
anywhere from a meager seventeen thousand to nearly forty five thousand
per year.
What makes all the difference when it comes to the rate of pay you can command, as you can see from the information above, is the amount of experience you have in the industry. Until you have been in the job for two to three years you are unlikely to earn more than twenty thousand dollars per annum. However, there are many options available to you if you want to maximize your earning potential.
Besides gaining experience, another key factor that will affect your salary is the industry that you work in as a pharmacy tech. Retail and grocery stores typically offer the lowest wages for pharmacy technicians, so if you are considering employment in this industry, refer to the “low end” column that relates to your experience level.
Drug stores and pharmacy chains average a little higher, so you may be able to expect a dollar or so more per hour if you work in this sector. At the “high end” are hospital pharmacy technicians, who typically experience a heavy workload and little to no customer service duties.
If you wish to make up for a lack of experience in order to start off with a higher wage, consider undertaking some pharmacy technician training and certification programs. To this end you may want to visit our pharmacy technician certification page for some more information about education options for your pharmacy technician role.
Differences In Pharmacy Technician Salary
Differences between pharmacy technician salary levels in the United States occur largely due to geographic factors. In addition, the nature of the workplace and the demands placed on the pharmacy technician influence salary levels.
Pharmacy technician salary levels are highest in large urban areas, if for no other reason than the overall standard of living in such areas is higher. Therefore, the advantage of higher salaries is balanced by the cost of living in urban areas, and pharmacy technicians considering employment in high cost of living areas should research whether the increased salary will be offset by higher expenses.
Workplace related salary differences mean that higher pressure workplaces, such as hospitals, large chain pharmacies or discount store/supermarket pharmacies pay the highest wages to pharmacy technicians. Here, the offset to the higher pharmacy technician salary level is the pressure, amount of work, and hours expected.
A hospital pharmacy or 24/7 pharmacy department in a busy supermarket will assign night and weekend shifts to pharmacy technicians, and in fact some of the higher pay is a result of higher wage scales for inconvenient shifts. On the other hand, a small free-standing pharmacy typically offers a friendlier and calmer work atmosphere, but at a significantly lower salary level.
Regional differences between pharmacy technician salary levels also exist. The highest salaries to date are available in San Francisco, California, and San Jose, California, with other major California cities not far behind. Other cities promising higher salaries for pharmacy techs are Seattle, Washington as well as Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada. When considering relocating to those cities, present or future pharmacy technicians should verify whether higher pharmacy technician salary levels are not offset by higher costs of local day to day living.
In addition, quality of life factors should be assessed. For instance, it should be noted that the most popular city for pharmacy technicians is actually Chicago, Illinois which does not appear on any list of cities offering the highest pharmacy technician salary opportunities.
What makes all the difference when it comes to the rate of pay you can command, as you can see from the information above, is the amount of experience you have in the industry. Until you have been in the job for two to three years you are unlikely to earn more than twenty thousand dollars per annum. However, there are many options available to you if you want to maximize your earning potential.
Besides gaining experience, another key factor that will affect your salary is the industry that you work in as a pharmacy tech. Retail and grocery stores typically offer the lowest wages for pharmacy technicians, so if you are considering employment in this industry, refer to the “low end” column that relates to your experience level.
Drug stores and pharmacy chains average a little higher, so you may be able to expect a dollar or so more per hour if you work in this sector. At the “high end” are hospital pharmacy technicians, who typically experience a heavy workload and little to no customer service duties.
If you wish to make up for a lack of experience in order to start off with a higher wage, consider undertaking some pharmacy technician training and certification programs. To this end you may want to visit our pharmacy technician certification page for some more information about education options for your pharmacy technician role.
Differences In Pharmacy Technician Salary
Differences between pharmacy technician salary levels in the United States occur largely due to geographic factors. In addition, the nature of the workplace and the demands placed on the pharmacy technician influence salary levels.
Pharmacy technician salary levels are highest in large urban areas, if for no other reason than the overall standard of living in such areas is higher. Therefore, the advantage of higher salaries is balanced by the cost of living in urban areas, and pharmacy technicians considering employment in high cost of living areas should research whether the increased salary will be offset by higher expenses.
Workplace related salary differences mean that higher pressure workplaces, such as hospitals, large chain pharmacies or discount store/supermarket pharmacies pay the highest wages to pharmacy technicians. Here, the offset to the higher pharmacy technician salary level is the pressure, amount of work, and hours expected.
A hospital pharmacy or 24/7 pharmacy department in a busy supermarket will assign night and weekend shifts to pharmacy technicians, and in fact some of the higher pay is a result of higher wage scales for inconvenient shifts. On the other hand, a small free-standing pharmacy typically offers a friendlier and calmer work atmosphere, but at a significantly lower salary level.
Regional differences between pharmacy technician salary levels also exist. The highest salaries to date are available in San Francisco, California, and San Jose, California, with other major California cities not far behind. Other cities promising higher salaries for pharmacy techs are Seattle, Washington as well as Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada. When considering relocating to those cities, present or future pharmacy technicians should verify whether higher pharmacy technician salary levels are not offset by higher costs of local day to day living.
In addition, quality of life factors should be assessed. For instance, it should be noted that the most popular city for pharmacy technicians is actually Chicago, Illinois which does not appear on any list of cities offering the highest pharmacy technician salary opportunities.
Among large, recognized
employers such as major drugstore and health care firms, pharmacy
technician salary varies from employer to employer. Safeway is
surprisingly noted for its higher levels of pharmacy technician
compensation among general retailers, and Kaiser Permanente posts the
highest salaries for pharmacy technicians among healthcare providers.
Here, too, the simple salary level is not the only factor to take into
consideration. Workload, benefits and opportunities for advancement
should be considered by pharmacy technicians who are considering
employment with large corporate employers.
In general, the starting pharmacy technician salary is approximately $19,000 - $25,000 per annum. Differences in salary between different geographic location and types of work come into play as the technician advances in experience, or becomes certified.
Certification is fast becoming the most important factor in determining the pharmacy technician salary. Provided by one of two certification associations, it attests to the knowledge of the technician as far as understanding the uses and side effects of medications are concerned, as well as familiarity with laws pertaining to prescriptions. Even in states where certification is not required, more and more employers demand it, if not for entry level jobs then for advancement once hired.
Therefore, a prospective employee who wishes to maximize his pharmacy technician salary level throughout his career is advised to train for and obtain certification as early as possible in that career.
With demand for pharmacy technicians rising, it can be predicted that pharmacy technician salary levels will post a steady rise over the next two decades. It can also be predicted that certification and more advanced knowledge will be a necessity for technicians who want to achieve the most in their careers. What cannot be predicted is whether the geographic patterns seen now will continue.
With the rise of Internet and other offsite pharmacies, which can be operated from low cost remote locations, it is very possible that firms will pay incentives and increase the pharmacy technician salary for those who are willing to relocate to less attractive places where warehouses and distribution centers will eventually be located.
In general, the starting pharmacy technician salary is approximately $19,000 - $25,000 per annum. Differences in salary between different geographic location and types of work come into play as the technician advances in experience, or becomes certified.
Certification is fast becoming the most important factor in determining the pharmacy technician salary. Provided by one of two certification associations, it attests to the knowledge of the technician as far as understanding the uses and side effects of medications are concerned, as well as familiarity with laws pertaining to prescriptions. Even in states where certification is not required, more and more employers demand it, if not for entry level jobs then for advancement once hired.
Therefore, a prospective employee who wishes to maximize his pharmacy technician salary level throughout his career is advised to train for and obtain certification as early as possible in that career.
With demand for pharmacy technicians rising, it can be predicted that pharmacy technician salary levels will post a steady rise over the next two decades. It can also be predicted that certification and more advanced knowledge will be a necessity for technicians who want to achieve the most in their careers. What cannot be predicted is whether the geographic patterns seen now will continue.
With the rise of Internet and other offsite pharmacies, which can be operated from low cost remote locations, it is very possible that firms will pay incentives and increase the pharmacy technician salary for those who are willing to relocate to less attractive places where warehouses and distribution centers will eventually be located.
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