{"id":49969,"date":"2022-03-24T09:30:14","date_gmt":"2022-03-24T13:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=49969"},"modified":"2025-10-07T12:10:49","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T16:10:49","slug":"pharmacy-technician-salary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/pharmacy-technician-salary\/","title":{"rendered":"What are standard salaries for a pharmacy technician?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Average pharmacy technician salary<\/a> | Factors that affect salary<\/a> | How to make more money<\/a> | Is becoming a pharmacy tech worth the money?<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Thinking of starting <\/span>a pharmacy technician<\/span><\/a> career? You can get a job as a pharmacy technician right out of high school or college, with little to no prior training or experience. Then, you can grow your skills and earn your certification\u2014or even go to pharmacy school if you decide to become a pharmacist.<\/span><\/p>\n

But, how much do pharmacy techs make? Like any other career choice, it\u2019s smart to know how much the average pharmacy technician in the U.S. makes and a little about the job market before you commit. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about the standard salary, as well as what factors can affect the average and how you<\/span> may<\/span><\/i> be able to increase your own salary to make more money.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the average salary for a pharmacy technician?<\/h2>\n

In 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated the national <\/span>average annual pharmacy technician salary<\/span><\/a> to be about $36,000 and the average hourly rate to be roughly $17.50.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A full-time pharmacy tech works around 40 hours per week, which is the number of hours in a typical work week for many employees in the U.S. Keep in mind, though, that many drug stores are open for extended hours and some are even open 24\/7. There may be an option (or requirement) to work shifts other than the standard 9 to 5. You may also work weekend shifts in addition to weekday ones.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The typical pharmacy schedule can be difficult for some technicians, but it provides flexibility for others. You could work part-time while going to school, work on weekends while keeping another 9-to-5 job during the week, or work extra hours for additional pay.<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking of additional pay, while the average annual salary is $36,000, some techs are making more than $50,000 annually (and more than $24 per hour), per the same BLS report. Even with this variation, though, pharmacy technicians tend to make less than their healthcare peers with similar job responsibilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, according to the BLS\u2019 2020 reporting on <\/span>healthcare practitioners and technical occupations<\/span><\/a>, a category that includes pharmacy technicians, many healthcare professionals were making more money than pharmacy techs (some substantially so).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Pharmacy tech salary vs. other practitioners <\/span><\/h3>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

Job title<\/b><\/span><\/td>\nAverage annual income<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pharmacy technicians<\/span><\/td>\n$36,450<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Psychiatric technicians<\/span><\/td>\n$38,080<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n$50,090<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Surgical technologists<\/span><\/td>\n$51,510<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hearing aid specialists<\/span><\/td>\n$54,630<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Radiology technologists and technicians<\/span><\/td>\n$64,840<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Diagnostic sonographers<\/span><\/td>\n$77,790<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Some of these career paths, such as diagnostic sonographers, may require more years of training or higher-level degrees than those of pharmacy technicians. Other career paths, such as hearing aid specialists, may have similar training and education requirements to those of pharmacy technicians despite paying higher average salaries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Factors that affect salary<\/h2>\n

You may be wondering why the average annual salary for pharmacy technicians is $36,000 even though some pharmacy technicians are making $50,000. There are three main factors that can increase or decrease the amount of money you make:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The state you work in<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. The setting of your job<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Your certification or credentials<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Your state<\/span><\/h3>\n

    The BLS reports that California, Alaska, and Washington are among the highest paying states for pharmacy technicians, with the 2020 average annual salary in California coming in at $47,620. Many metropolitan areas of California, such as the San Jose and San Francisco areas, have an average annual salary of more than $56,000. The job outlook is good in these cities as well, with pharmacy technicians having a high rate of employment. However, the cost of living in these states is important to keep in mind. Even if you\u2019re making more money in these states, you\u2019re likely paying more to live there too.<\/span><\/p>\n

    On the flip side, <\/span>Forbes reports that West Virginia, Arkansas, and Kentucky are among the worst paying states<\/span><\/a> for technicians, with the average salary coming in under $30,000 annually in each state. In contrast to the higher salary and higher cost of living on the West coast, the lower salary in these Southern states may be offset by the cheaper cost of living.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Your job setting<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Pharmacy technicians not only work in a variety of retail locations around the country but also in non-pharmacy settings\u2014like hospitals, nursing homes, and research facilities. The physical location of your job can have an impact on your salary.<\/span><\/p>\n

    For example, a hospital pharmacy technician makes more than retail technicians, says <\/span>Missy Reynolds<\/span><\/a>, CPhT, a pharmacy technician working in long-term care in North Carolina. However, it can be difficult to get a hospital job in the current market. Because of the higher salaries and the emphasis on pharmacy knowledge rather than customer interactions (such as those in retail pharmacy), hospital jobs are in demand in many places.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Your state may have an impact on this, though. <\/span>Natasha Stamper<\/span><\/a>, Pharm.D., who worked as a technician for two years before becoming a pharmacist, says that in her employment state of Idaho, techs in retail are paid better than those in a hospital setting.<\/span><\/p>\n

    If you choose to work in retail pharmacies, the individual chain or pharmacy you\u2019re employed at will also affect your salary. \u201cWhile working at Walgreens, I was able to earn my certification,\u201d Dr. Stamper says. \u201cHowever, I was not paid the same as others who were certified\u2014I was basically a clerk that did pharmacy duties until I had that certification.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    Beyond that, privately owned pharmacies and care facilities can set their own rates, so there\u2019s variability there as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Your credentials<\/span><\/h3>\n

    A registered pharmacy technician may make less money than a certified pharmacy technician, since certification requires studying for and passing an exam with the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).<\/span><\/p>\n

    It may not be a huge financial difference, though, warns Reynolds: \u201cGetting PTCB-certified usually gives you a little pay increase, but some companies <\/span>don’t <\/span><\/i>give a pay raise for getting certified.\u201d Check with your employer before going the extra mile.<\/span><\/p>\n

    PTCB-certified pharmacy technicians must maintain their knowledge base with continuing education courses focused on skills in <\/span>patient safety, pharmacy law, and sterile compounding<\/span><\/a>, which may help pad their overall salary. Techs may also become qualified to perform <\/span>medication therapy management<\/span><\/a> (MTM) or administer immunizations like annual flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines, which may bump up pay, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cIf someone is able to get experience with prior authorizations [for example], they probably have a better chance at a higher paying job with far less patient interaction,\u201d Reynolds says.<\/span><\/p>\n

    How to make more money as a pharmacy technician<\/h2>\n

    If you decide to become a pharmacy technician, you should know that the salary is capped at a certain level. Pharmacists earn, on average, <\/span>more than $125,000 annually<\/span><\/a>, and no amount of extra training or work experience will increase a technician\u2019s salary by that much. In fact, <\/span>pharmacist jobs<\/span><\/a> are some of the highest paying jobs in the medical field.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Remember, though, that pharmacists also need many more years of education and training to earn their title, and that means more money spent out of pocket\u2014and more years making a student\u2019s wages\u2014before they can begin earning that paycheck. \u201cI had a biology degree, then did four more years of pharmacy school, [which took up] a large portion of my life,\u201d Dr. Stamper explains. \u201cI graduated with $150,000 in student loans.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    Depending on your financial status, your ability to take out student loans, and your current income needs, it may not be worth it to spend more to make more by <\/span>becoming a pharmacist<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    But that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t increase your average salary as a technician; here are some ways to make more money as a tech.<\/span><\/p>\n