Salary of a Pharmacy Tech

Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists perform a number of duties, including customer service, administrative tasks, preparing prescriptions and medications. Pharmacy technicians also receive prescriptions, stock, affix labels and operate cash registers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), most pharmacy tech jobs are in retail stores and hospitals. The BLS also points out that work schedules may include working during weekends, nights or holidays, depending on the employer.

Salary Trends

• Based on national trends compiled by the BLS, the median salary of a pharmacy tech is about $28,070 and the median hourly wage is $13.49. According to the BLS, the highest earning pharmacy techs earn $40,160 annually or about $19.31 hourly. The lowest earning 10 percent of pharmacy technicians earn $19,480 annually or approximately $9.36 per hour.

Employers

• Pharmacy technician salaries also vary by employers. The BLS indicates that pharmacy techs employed in medical and surgical hospitals earn a median salary of $32,710 annually or about $15.73 per hour. Pharmacy techs in department stores have the lowest mean salaries with pharmacy techs making $25,660 per year or an hourly wage of $12.34. Outside of the medical field, pharmacy techs working for the federal government earn the most with $39,040 annually or a mean hourly wage of $18.77. Pharmacy techs in scientific research and development earn an annual mean salary of $38,870 and an hourly mean wage of $18.69.

City

• Location also influences the salary of a pharmacy tech which varies by city. According a November 2010 PayScale survey of 5,754 pharmacy techs, the highest wage is in San Diego where pharmacy techs earn between $10.55 and $16.16 per hour. The next highest wage is in Los Angeles where pharmacy techs earn a median hourly wage of 10.17 to $16.99.

Experience

• As in most professions, pharmacy techs can expect salaries to increase with more experience on the job. Pharmacy techs with less than a year of experience make about $8.29 to $10.78 an hour. Techs with one to four years of experience can expect to make between $8.87 and $11.88 per hour while those with five to nine years of experience make about $10.35 to $14.61 per hour. Pharmacy technicians with 10 or more years of experience make a median wage between $11.77 and $17.96 an hour.

Jobs Forecast

• Jobs forecast data estimates job opportunities to increase by 31 percent between 2008 and 2018. The sizable increase in jobs is a result of the growing number of aging people who have a higher demand for prescription medication. According to the BLS, job prospects improve for candidates with certification, training and job experience.