In the healthcare sector, pharmacy technicians are essential because they help pharmacists with medicine delivery, patient record management, and pharmaceutical safety. Pharmacy technicians are becoming more and more important as the need for healthcare services keeps rising. However, the prospective pay is a crucial consideration when considering a job as a pharmacy technician. We will go into the specifics of Pharmacy Tech Salary, elements that affect pay, and what you may anticipate making in 2024 in this blog post.
What is a Pharmacy Technician?
A pharmacy technician is a medical worker who helps pharmacists with customer service, pharmaceutical supply management, and medication preparation and dispensing. Retail pharmacies, hospitals, and long-term care institutions are just a few of the places where pharmacy technicians can be found working. Among their responsibilities may be:
Helping with the labeling and fulfillment of prescriptions
Ordering prescription drugs and keeping track of inventory
Giving patients prescription-related information
Making sure that drugs are handled and stored properly
Pharmacy technicians are crucial to maintaining a pharmacy’s safe and effective functioning because of their duties.
What is the salary of a pharmacy technician?
A pharmacy technician’s pay might vary significantly based on a number of criteria, including work environment, education, experience, and geography. Let’s examine the 2024 average pay for pharmacy technicians.
Average Pay by Area
Pharmacy Tech Salary might vary from one state to another and even within a single state’s regions. For instance:
United States National Average: In the United States, a pharmacy technician typically makes between $39,000 and $43,000 annually. However, depending on the need for medical personnel and the locality, this could go up or down.
Top-Paying States: California, Alaska, and Massachusetts are a few of the states that offer the best salaries for pharmacy technicians. Pharmacy technicians in these fields might make between $45,000 and $55,000 a year.
Lowest-Paying States: Pharmacy technicians can anticipate making between $30,000 and $35,000 per year in states with reduced living expenses. These states include parts of the South and Midwest.
Industry-specific Average Salary
Pharmacy technicians can operate in a variety of environments, and their pay may vary depending on the sector they work in:
Retail Pharmacies: Pharmacy technicians who work in retail establishments like independent pharmacies or chain drug stores often make between $37,000 and $42,000 per year.
Hospitals: Because of the greater degree of responsibility and skill set needed, pharmacy technicians in hospitals usually make between $40,000 and $50,000 a year.
Long-Term Care Facilities: Employees at assisted living or nursing homes can anticipate earning between $38,000 and $43,000 annually.
Factors Affecting Pharmacy Tech Salary
How much a pharmacy technician can make depends on several factors. Here are a few of the more crucial ones:
Experience
One of the main factors that determines pay is experience. Pharmacy tech salary may be paid more if they have more years of experience or specialized training. Pharmacy Tech Salary with a few years of experience can make up to $45,000 to $50,000 a year, while entry-level technicians should anticipate making between $30,000 and $35,000.
Training and Accreditation
A major factor in raising earning potential is certification. When negotiating pay, pharmacy technicians who hold credentials from reputable organizations like the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) or Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) frequently have an advantage. Certified technicians may even be eligible for bonuses or increased pay from some employers. A pharmacy technician’s earning potential can be further increased by obtaining specialized qualifications, such as those in sterile compounding or oncology.
Place
As was already indicated, location has a big impact on pay. Higher incomes are sometimes offered to entice competent workers to areas with higher costs of living, such as big cities or states with a lack of medical experts.
Employer Type
Pay rates can also be influenced by the employer. Compared to smaller independent pharmacies or retail chain pharmacies, pharmacies in hospitals, universities, or research facilities may provide better pay and benefits.
Pharmacy Tech Salary Trends and Employment Prospects
With the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) forecasting a 5% increase in employment from 2021 to 2031—roughly typical for all occupations—the career future for pharmacy technicians is still bright. An aging population, a greater need for healthcare services, and the rising usage of pharmaceuticals are all predicted to raise demand for pharmacy technicians.
Pharmacies will need more technicians to manage drug delivery and other administrative duties as the demand for healthcare services rises. This increase, together with elements like experience and qualification, indicates that pharmacy tech pay will likely keep rising.
In conclusion
With good pay and lots of work prospects, being a pharmacy technician is a fulfilling career. Pharmacy technicians may expect to make between $39,000 and $43,000 a year in 2024, with the possibility of earning more based on company, region, and experience. Pharmacy technicians can increase their earning potential even more by being certified and obtaining experience. The need for qualified pharmacy technicians will probably guarantee job security and rising pay for people in the field as the healthcare sector expands. Read more: 49ers
FAQs
Does certification increase a pharmacy technician’s pay?
Indeed, compared to their non-qualified peers, certified pharmacy technicians frequently make more money. A higher level of knowledge is demonstrated by certification, which can increase a technician’s marketability.
Can someone without a college degree work as a pharmacy tech and make a good living?
Indeed, becoming a pharmacy technician does not require a college degree. But you can get paid more in the profession if you get certified and have relevant experience.
Which state pays pharmacy techs the most?
Pharmacy technicians can expect to make up to $55,000 a year in states like California, Alaska, and Massachusetts, which have some of the highest pay rates.
Is there a need for pharmacy technicians?
The need for healthcare services is growing, especially as the population ages, thus there is a good job outlook for pharmacy technicians.
How can I raise my pay as a pharmacy tech?
Consider obtaining certificates, developing specialized abilities, and amassing years of experience to increase your pay. Additionally, you can look for work in higher-paying industries like long-term care institutions or hospitals.