Pharmacy Technician salary: $20.50/hr$820/wk$42,640/yr median.
Pay range $19.00$760$39,520–$23.00/hr$920/wk$47,840/yr across the middle 50% of active Technicians Pharmacy Professional postings nationwide.
1,587 unique employers · 3,558 cities · 55 states. Pay moved +0.0% over the last 30 days.
How Pharmacy Technician pay is distributed.
10% of postings pay under $18.00/hr$720/wk$37,440/yr. The top 10% pay above $25.50/hr$1,020/wk$53,040/yr.
How Pharmacy Technician pay has moved month over month.
Median pay moved from $20.50 in May 2026 to $22.00 in Oct 2026 (+7.3%). Bars show monthly posting volume; the line tracks the posting-weighted median.
| Month | Median /hr/wk/yr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | $20.50$820$42,640 | $19.00$760$39,520–$22.50$900$46,800 | 5,469 |
| Jun 2026 | $20.50$820$42,640 | $18.50$740$38,480–$22.00$880$45,760 | 11,696 |
| Jul 2026 | $23.00$920$47,840 | $21.25$850$44,200–$25.50$1,020$53,040 | 259 |
| Aug 2026 | $22.50$900$46,800 | $20.50$820$42,640–$25.50$1,020$53,040 | 385 |
| Sep 2026 | $22.00$880$45,760 | $20.00$800$41,600–$25.00$1,000$52,000 | 1,282 |
| Oct 2026 | $22.00$880$45,760 | $20.00$800$41,600–$24.50$980$50,960 | 1,748 |
Pharmacy Technician pay across every state with live data.
Showing all 51 states with live data. Bars scale to the highest-paying state.
The metros writing the biggest Pharmacy Technician paychecks.
| City | State | Median /hr/wk/yr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fremont | CA · CALIFORNIA | $43.75$1,750$91,000 | $24.38$975$50,710–$46.00$1,840$95,680 | 12 |
| palo alto | CA · CALIFORNIA | $36.50$1,460$75,920 | $29.25$1,170$60,840–$42.13$1,685$87,630 | 28 |
| auburn | WA · WASHINGTON | $36.00$1,440$74,880 | $25.00$1,000$52,000–$36.00$1,440$74,880 | 11 |
| la jolla | CA · CALIFORNIA | $33.50$1,340$69,680 | $23.00$920$47,840–$33.50$1,340$69,680 | 13 |
| concord | CA · CALIFORNIA | $32.75$1,310$68,120 | $23.00$920$47,840–$42.00$1,680$87,360 | 10 |
CITY PAY DATA
Unlock city-level salary data for Pharmacy Technician
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Where the top of the market is paying for Pharmacy Technician.
| Employer | Median /hr/wk/yr | Range | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | $45.75$1,830$95,160 | $38.50$1,540$80,080–$49.00$1,960$101,920 | 6 |
| John Muir Health | $42.00$1,680$87,360 | $42.00$1,680$87,360–$44.50$1,780$92,560 | 6 |
| MultiCare Health System | $36.00$1,440$74,880 | $33.00$1,320$68,640–$41.50$1,660$86,320 | 12 |
| NavitasPartners | $35.50$1,420$73,840 | $35.00$1,400$72,800–$46.50$1,860$96,720 | 5 |
| Providence Swedish | $37.00$1,480$76,960 | $37.00$1,480$76,960–$38.00$1,520$79,040 | 6 |
| Stanford Health Care | $36.00$1,440$74,880 | $36.00$1,440$74,880–$47.50$1,900$98,800 | 19 |
| Stanford Medicine Children's Health | $41.50$1,660$86,320 | $40.50$1,620$84,240–$47.50$1,900$98,800 | 6 |
| Sutter Health | $42.00$1,680$87,360 | $31.00$1,240$64,480–$52.50$2,100$109,200 | 37 |
| UC Davis Health | $39.50$1,580$82,160 | $35.00$1,400$72,800–$46.00$1,840$95,680 | 9 |
| University Of Washington | $36.00$1,440$74,880 | $31.50$1,260$65,520–$38.50$1,540$80,080 | 11 |
Showing all 10 employers with live pay data.
How Pharmacy Technician pay shifts by schedule and contract type.
Staff Position pays the most at $27.11/hr$1,084/wk$56,389/yr median — 32% above Parttime at $20.50/hr$820/wk$42,640/yr. Parttime drives the volume with 10,799 active postings.
How to become a Pharmacy Technician.
Pharmacy Technicians assist pharmacists in preparing and dispensing medications, managing inventory, and providing customer service in pharmacy settings.
Requirements vary by state. Most pharmacy techs complete a certificate program, then earn PTCB or ExCPT certification. Hospital and advanced roles often require formal training.
| Degree | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| High School Diploma + On-the-Job TrainingHS + OJT | 3-6 months training | Some states allow entry with only high school diploma and employer-provided training. |
| Pharmacy Technician CertificatePharm Tech Certificate | 6-12 months | Formal training program covering pharmacy law, calculations, and dispensing. ASHP-accredited programs preferred. |
| Associate Degree in Pharmacy TechnologyAAS-Pharm Tech | 2 years | Comprehensive program with general education. May provide advancement opportunities. |
All states require registration or licensure. Requirements vary significantly by state.
May be required for hospital pharmacy positions.
| Credential | Issued by | Pay impact |
|---|---|---|
| CPhT Certified Pharmacy Technician Primary national certification. Required or preferred by most employers. Requires passing PTCE exam. | PTCB | +$1-3/hour |
| ExCPT Exam for Certification of Pharmacy Technicians Alternative national certification recognized in most states. | NHA | +$1-3/hour |
| CSPT Certified Sterile Compounding Pharmacy Technician Advanced certification for IV compounding. Valuable for hospital pharmacy. | PTCB | +$2-5/hour |
| CPhT-Adv Certified Pharmacy Technician - Advanced Advanced certification demonstrating enhanced competencies in pharmacy practice. | PTCB | +$2-4/hour |
- 0-6 monthsPharmacy Technician Trainee
Entry-level learning basic dispensing, customer service, and pharmacy operations.
- 6 months - 3 yearsCertified Pharmacy Technician
CPhT-certified tech handling full range of pharmacy technician duties.
- 3-5 yearsSenior Pharmacy Technician
Experienced tech with specialty skills. May train new technicians.
- 5-8 yearsLead Pharmacy Technician
Coordinates technician workflow, handles complex issues, supports pharmacist.
- 3+ yearsIV Room Technician / Compounding Specialist
Specialized hospital role preparing sterile IV medications. CSPT certification often required.
- 8+ yearsPharmacy Technician Supervisor
Manages pharmacy technician staff, schedules, and training programs.
- 4+ years PharmDPharmacist (with additional education)
Some pharmacy techs pursue Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) to become pharmacists.
Schedule. Retail: varies including evenings, weekends, holidays. Hospital: 8-hour shifts with 24/7 coverage. Mail-order: typically weekday shifts.
Physical demands. Moderate demands. Standing for extended periods, repetitive counting motions, lifting medication stock. Retail involves significant customer interaction.
Pharmacy tech demand remains steady. Hospital positions and compounding roles offer best pay and advancement. Certification significantly improves job prospects and pay.
What clinicians ask about Pharmacy Technician pay.
What is the average Pharmacy Technician salary in 2026?
The median Pharmacy Technician salary is $20.50/hr (approximately $42,640/yr) based on 22,489 active job postings.
What is the pay range for Pharmacy Technician?
Hourly pay ranges from $19.00 at the 25th percentile to $23.00 at the 75th percentile, with the top 10% earning above $25.50/hr.
Which state pays Pharmacy Technician roles the most?
District Of Columbia currently leads with a median of $25.00/hr across 59 postings.
How many employers are hiring Pharmacy Technicians?
Our dataset shows 1,587 unique employers posting Pharmacy Technician roles across 55 states.
Where does TrueRounds get Pharmacy Technician salary data?
All salary figures are computed from active US healthcare job postings with listed pay ranges, collected over a rolling 6-month window and weighted by posting volume.
Explore other Pharmacy Professional tracks.
Pharmacy Technician sits inside the Technicians track. Here are sibling tracks across Pharmacy Professional — same category, different clinical focus and pay envelope.
Active US healthcare postings. Weighted by volume. Refreshed daily.
Pay benchmarks are computed from active job postings with listed pay ranges, collected on a rolling 6-month window. Each role's percentiles are weighted by posting volume so a metro with two postings doesn't outweigh a metro with two hundred. Outliers (postings priced more than 4× the role median) are dropped to avoid contract-line distortion.
Use the data, then push back.
Bring these numbers into your next contract conversation. Recruiters know what the market pays — now you do too.