Pharmacy Technician Salary

Pharmacy technicians enjoy a positive career outlook because the demand in this field has been increasing rapidly.  In fact, this is one of the few career fields where the growth is better than most other occupations.  For those just starting out in this career field, you can expect to make on average about $20,000 in your first year.  As you gain more skills, your pay will increase as well. 

Employers typically prefer hiring those that have went to school for pharmacy technicians and are certified.  In school, the students would learn about drug measurements, reading prescriptions, and arranging a pharmacy.  Although not absolutely required in getting hired as a pharmacy technician, these traits would certainly boost your salary over those that have no training.  Also, those with formal training would more likely get promoted to higher positions.  

How Much Does a Pharmacy Technician Make?

 

The entry level pay of a pharmacy technician is around $25,000 to $30,000 per year.  After working in the field for 4 to 6 years, your pay will increase to $30,000 to $40,000 per year.  And for those who have worked at least 6 years in the field, you can expect to earn more than $40,000 per year.  Along with a good wage, pharmacy technicians can typically expect to get other benefits such as health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, paid time off, sick leave, and paid holidays.

The pay for a pharmacy technician can vary depending on the location of the job.  Typically larger cities will pay more but the cost of living in these bigger cities will also be higher.  These factors must be taken into account when you are looking for a job as a pharmacy technician.  You can use salary calculators like Salary.com which would give you a good idea of the salary for a specific area dependent on your level of experience.  Remember that the calculators can only give estimates.  You may be able to negotiate a higher salary depending on your situation.