Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.
National median · BLS
$45,750
▲ +5.27%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$46,620
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
471,680
Jobs (BLS)
Highest-paying state (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Most jobsLoading…
Highest-paying metro (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Check your salary
Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Pharmacy Technicians
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$36,020
25th
$37,850
Median (50th)
$45,750
75th
$49,990
90th — top pay
$61,040
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
Type in either box; the other updates instantly.
⇄
Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Pharmacy Technicians
BLS projects employment of pharmacy technicians to grow 6.4% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 44,700 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
471,200 → 501,300
+30,100 jobs
Projected change
+6.4%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
44,700
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
0.1% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Pharmacy Technicians salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Pharmacy Technicians
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Active Listening4.0
Reading Comprehension3.8
Speaking3.8
Critical Thinking3.3
Active Learning3.1
Complex Problem Solving3.1
Judgment and Decision Making3.1
Monitoring3.1
Service Orientation3.1
Social Perceptiveness3.1
Top knowledge areas
Customer and Personal Service4.6
Medicine and Dentistry3.9
Mathematics3.8
English Language3.8
Computers and Electronics3.7
Law and Government3.5
Administrative3.3
Production and Processing3.2
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointApple SafariMEDITECH softwareMicrosoft EdgeMicrosoft WordMozilla FirefoxBilling and reimbursement softwareCompounder softwareDatabase softwareDrug compatibility softwareLabel-making softwareMedical condition coding softwarePatient record maintenance softwarePharmaceutical softwarePharmacy management software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What pharmacy technicians do
Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.
Enter prescription information into computer databases.
Establish or maintain patient profiles, including lists of medications taken by individual patients.
Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs.
Receive and store incoming supplies, verify quantities against invoices, check for outdated medications in current inventory, and inform supervisors of stock needs and shortages.
Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests.
Assist customers by answering simple questions, locating items, or referring them to the pharmacist for medication information.
Operate cash registers to accept payment from customers.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Pharmacy Technicians, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $45,750.
