Salary Information for a Pharmacy Tech

Pharmacy technicians serve as a pharmacist's right hand. They keep pharmacies running smoothly by providing front-line customer service, helping in the preparation of prescription medications and taking care of administrative duties. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for pharmacy techs is expected to increase faster than average through 2018, so those individuals who are thinking about entering the field can expect to find good job prospects.

National Averages

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2008, the median hourly wage for salary techs was $13.32 an hour. In 2010, PayScale listed the the average hourly pay for pharmacy technicians in the United States as a bit lower, between $9.04 and $12.82 an hour, or between $19,103 and $28,403 annually. However, the BLS listed pay for pharmacy techs and pharmacy aides separately; PayScale did not.

Industry

• Pharmacy technicians don't just work in neighborhood pharmacies. They also work in hospitals and clinics and for pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, a wider range of stores today have pharmacies in them that employ pharmacy technicians, such as big-box stores such as Walmart and Target, as well as grocery stores. Those technicians working in hospitals took home the highest pay as of 2010, earning between $9.80 and $13.52 an hour. Those working in retail supermarkets and other retail stores had the lowest starting salary at $9.05 per hour as of 2010, according to PayScale.

Education

• Education also makes a big difference in how much pharmacy technicians make. Those with a high school diploma earned the least --- between $8.41 and $11.81 an hour --- while those with a pharmacy technician certification earned the most: between $10.46 and $15.40 an hour in 2010.

Location

• What part of the country a technician lives in can also impact how much he earns. For instance, San Francisco and San Jose, Calif., and Seattle offered the highest pay for pharmacy techs, according to PayScale. In San Francisco, the pay was between $16.31 and $23.25 an hour; in San Jose it was between $11.35 and $20; and in Seattle it was between $13.52 and $18.69 in 2010.

Other Considerations

• While many pharmacies hire pharmacy technicians with no prior experience or specialized degrees, previous experience in the role or as a pharmacy aide, as well as certification or degrees, can significantly impact earnings in this field, notes the BLS. Additionally, the job is often a stepping stone for aspiring pharmacists, which have a much higher earning potential.