Median Salary
$45,750
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$22.00
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$61,040
entry level starts ~$36,020
Pay Grade
C
below-average pay · 472,000 employed
How much does a Pharmacy Technician make?
A Pharmacy Technician earns a median annual salary of $45,750 in the United States, which works out to roughly $22.00 per hour for full-time work. Most Pharmacy Technicians earn between $36,020 at the entry level and $61,040 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $37,850 and $49,990 a year.
That is $15,640 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Pharmacy Technician salary range by percentile
Half of all Pharmacy Technicians earn between $37,850 and $49,990 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,020 | $17.32 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $37,850 | $18.20 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $45,750 | $22.00 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $49,990 | $24.03 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $61,040 | $29.35 |
|
Highest-paying states for Pharmacy Technician
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Washington leads the country for Pharmacy Technician pay at $58,900 a year, followed by California ($55,110) and Oregon ($54,900). At the other end, West Virginia posts the lowest median at $38,210 — a gap of $20,690 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
Pharmacy Technician salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Washington $58,900California $55,110Oregon $54,900Alaska $52,640Colorado $49,970Montana $49,400Minnesota $48,300Wyoming $48,260Utah $48,140Nevada $47,980Vermont $47,940Arizona $47,640North Dakota $47,560District of Columbia $47,410New Hampshire $47,360Connecticut $47,050Hawaii $46,760Illinois $46,650New Mexico $46,630Nebraska $46,610Massachusetts $46,470Delaware $46,430Idaho $46,420South Dakota $46,170Wisconsin $45,970Texas $45,900Maine $45,400Maryland $45,120Iowa $44,860Virginia $44,610Indiana $44,560North Carolina $44,530Louisiana $44,410Rhode Island $44,380Michigan $44,340New York $43,930Florida $43,590Kansas $43,310South Carolina $42,120Tennessee $41,920Georgia $41,910Ohio $40,650Oklahoma $40,500Missouri $40,100Pennsylvania $40,040New Jersey $39,610Kentucky $39,200Mississippi $39,040Alabama $39,030Arkansas $38,680West Virginia $38,210
Workforce and education
About 472,000 people work as Pharmacy Technicians in the United States. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Pharmacy Technician make in the United States?
The median Pharmacy Technician salary in the United States is $45,750 per year, or about $22.00 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $36,020, while the top 10% of earners make $61,040 or more.
How does Pharmacy Technician pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C (below-average pay), the Pharmacy Technician median of $45,750 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Pharmacy Technicians the most?
Washington is the highest-paying state for Pharmacy Technicians, with a median salary of $58,900 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Pharmacy Technician?
Becoming a Pharmacy Technician typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Pharmacy Technicians work in the United States?
About 472,000 people were employed as Pharmacy Technicians in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.
Related salaries
Other healthcare roles with similar pay.
$45,230
median pay · 144,000 employed
$47,260
median pay · 74,000 employed
$37,640
median pay · 32,000 employed
$45,570
median pay · 71,000 employed
$37,680
median pay · 40,000 employed
$44,470
median pay · 181,000 employed
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.