Pharmacy Aides
Pharmacy Aides (SOC 31-9095) earn a median $37,680 a year ($18.12 an hour) in the United States, with 39,530 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What pharmacy aides do
Pharmacy aides handle clerical and support work in a pharmacy. The SOC defines the job as recording drugs delivered to the pharmacy, storing incoming merchandise and telling the supervisor about stock needs, and says aides may operate a cash register and accept prescriptions for filling. At the counter they greet customers and help them locate merchandise, accept prescriptions and gather and process the information needed, operate the register for cash or credit sales, and answer telephone inquiries, referring callers to the pharmacist when necessary. Behind the scenes they receive, store and inventory pharmaceutical supplies, check for out-of-date medications, and notify the pharmacist when inventory is low. They unpack, sort, count and label incoming merchandise, including items that need refrigeration or special handling, restock shelves and storage areas, and maintain and clean equipment, work areas and shelves. O*NET alternate titles include pharmacist aide, pharmacist assistant, drug clerk and dispensary attendant. About 61 percent of respondents report a high school diploma and 18 percent a postsecondary certificate. The work differs from that of pharmacy technicians, who prepare medications and have their own code.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical level of education for this occupation (61 percent).
Also called: Certified Pharmacist Assistant, Dispensary Attendant, Drug Clerk, Drug Purchaser, Front Counter Clerk.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.34 | $16.82 | $18.12 | $20.98 | $26.93 | $19.45 | 39,530 |
| Annual | $29,820 | $34,980 | $37,680 | $43,640 | $56,010 | $40,450 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where pharmacy aides earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $18.47 | $27.82 | $28.83 | $29.17 | $29.98 | $27.40 | 120 | 0.17 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $38,430 | $57,860 | $59,960 | $60,660 | $62,360 | $56,990 | ||||
| Utah | Hourly | $17.33 | $18.38 | $24.81 | $25.33 | $29.70 | $23.08 | 250 | 0.14 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $36,050 | $38,240 | $51,600 | $52,690 | $61,770 | $48,010 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $18.58 | $20.98 | $22.24 | $24.33 | $29.04 | $22.81 | 110 | 0.18 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $38,650 | $43,640 | $46,250 | $50,610 | $60,390 | $47,450 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.50 | $18.22 | $21.69 | $23.47 | $29.04 | $21.82 | 1,990 | 0.56 | 2.21 |
| Annual | $36,400 | $37,890 | $45,110 | $48,830 | $60,390 | $45,390 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $18.72 | $19.62 | $20.85 | $20.87 | $27.29 | $21.16 | 810 | 0.25 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $38,930 | $40,810 | $43,360 | $43,400 | $56,770 | $44,000 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.42 | $17.97 | $20.29 | $27.80 | $34.29 | $23.17 | 8,440 | 0.46 | 1.82 |
| Annual | $36,240 | $37,390 | $42,200 | $57,820 | $71,320 | $48,200 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $15.16 | $17.58 | $18.57 | $20.56 | $23.08 | $19.03 | 2,900 | 0.21 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $31,540 | $36,570 | $38,630 | $42,760 | $48,010 | $39,580 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.47 | $17.25 | $18.29 | $19.42 | $24.59 | $19.54 | 2,360 | 0.24 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $34,270 | $35,870 | $38,040 | $40,390 | $51,150 | $40,650 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.50 | $18.22 | $21.69 | $23.47 | $29.04 | $21.82 | 1,990 | 0.56 | 2.21 |
| Annual | $36,400 | $37,890 | $45,110 | $48,830 | $60,390 | $45,390 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $15.16 | $16.44 | $16.91 | $19.72 | $22.06 | $18.20 | 1,590 | 0.16 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $31,540 | $34,190 | $35,160 | $41,010 | $45,890 | $37,850 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $17.18 | $21.23 | $33.59 | $36.76 | $37.33 | $29.17 | 80 | 0.53 | 2.07 |
| Annual | $35,740 | $44,150 | $69,870 | $76,470 | $77,650 | $60,660 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $20.04 | $21.70 | $26.79 | $34.84 | $37.87 | $27.69 | 70 | 0.37 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $41,690 | $45,130 | $55,710 | $72,470 | $78,780 | $57,600 | ||||
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | Hourly | $17.33 | $22.11 | $24.93 | $25.33 | $29.52 | $23.76 | 150 | 0.18 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $36,050 | $46,000 | $51,850 | $52,690 | $61,400 | $49,410 | ||||
| Salem, OR | Hourly | $17.96 | $19.35 | $24.80 | $27.98 | $29.88 | $24.28 | 60 | 0.31 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $37,360 | $40,250 | $51,590 | $58,200 | $62,150 | $50,490 | ||||
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | Hourly | $18.13 | $18.37 | $23.86 | $29.70 | $30.60 | $23.92 | 50 | 0.15 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $37,700 | $38,210 | $49,620 | $61,770 | $63,650 | $49,750 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.46 | $17.79 | $19.12 | $26.30 | $33.54 | $22.22 | 4,010 | 0.64 | 2.52 |
| Annual | $36,320 | $37,000 | $39,770 | $54,710 | $69,770 | $46,220 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.18 | $17.58 | $18.53 | $22.05 | $28.07 | $20.32 | 2,050 | 0.22 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $35,740 | $36,560 | $38,550 | $45,850 | $58,380 | $42,260 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $17.26 | $18.15 | $21.83 | $23.52 | $29.31 | $22.26 | 1,270 | 0.61 | 2.39 |
| Annual | $35,900 | $37,760 | $45,400 | $48,930 | $60,970 | $46,290 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $16.65 | $17.29 | $17.79 | $18.25 | $18.47 | $18.09 | 1,070 | 0.24 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $34,640 | $35,960 | $37,010 | $37,960 | $38,420 | $37,620 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $17.90 | $17.95 | $17.98 | $19.13 | $24.28 | $19.50 | 760 | 0.19 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $37,230 | $37,340 | $37,400 | $39,800 | $50,490 | $40,570 | ||||
Top industries employing pharmacy aides
Health and Personal Care Retailers employ 69.1% of pharmacy aides nationally (27,330 jobs) at a median $36,770 a year ($17.68 an hour), followed by Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) (9.5%) and General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (5.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health and Personal Care Retailers NAICS 456100 | 27,330 | 69.1% | $36,770 | $17.68 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) NAICS 4450A1 | 3,740 | 9.5% | $35,810 | $17.22 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 2,290 | 5.8% | $43,730 | $21.03 |
| General Merchandise Retailers NAICS 455000 | 2,070 | 5.2% | $59,970 | $28.83 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 1,470 | 3.7% | $71,660 | $34.45 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (39,530). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,930 for pharmacy aides in May 2021 and $37,680 in May 2025, with employment of 43,560 and 39,530.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,930 | $14.39 | 43,560 |
| May 2022 | $33,270 | $15.99 | 43,230 |
| May 2023 | $36,200 | $17.41 | 43,830 |
| May 2024 | $37,000 | $17.79 | 41,100 |
| May 2025 | $37,680 | $18.12 | 39,530 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
48 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $28.83 | $59,960 | $38,430 | $62,360 | 120 | 0.17 | 0.68 |
| 2 | Utah profile | $24.81 | $51,600 | $36,050 | $61,770 | 250 | 0.14 | 0.56 |
| 3 | Hawaii profile | $22.24 | $46,250 | $38,650 | $60,390 | 110 | 0.18 | 0.70 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $21.69 | $45,110 | $36,400 | $60,390 | 1,990 | 0.56 | 2.21 |
| 5 | Arizona profile | $20.85 | $43,360 | $38,930 | $56,770 | 810 | 0.25 | 0.98 |
| 6 | California profile | $20.29 | $42,200 | $36,240 | $71,320 | 8,440 | 0.46 | 1.82 |
| 7 | Oregon profile | $19.35 | $40,250 | $35,330 | $62,150 | 450 | 0.23 | 0.91 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania profile | $18.98 | $39,470 | $28,910 | $43,360 | 1,210 | 0.20 | 0.78 |
| 9 | Nevada profile | $18.79 | $39,080 | $30,250 | $52,570 | 410 | 0.27 | 1.05 |
| 10 | Texas profile | $18.57 | $38,630 | $31,540 | $48,010 | 2,900 | 0.21 | 0.81 |
| 11 | Delaware profile | $18.51 | $38,500 | $31,200 | $47,560 | 130 | 0.26 | 1.04 |
| 12 | Maine profile | $18.30 | $38,060 | $35,870 | $45,590 | 150 | 0.23 | 0.92 |
| 13 | New York profile | $18.29 | $38,040 | $34,270 | $51,150 | 2,360 | 0.24 | 0.96 |
| 14 | Rhode Island profile | $18.28 | $38,020 | $33,460 | $62,360 | ** | ** | ** |
| 15 | Missouri profile | $18.18 | $37,820 | $33,980 | $49,510 | 650 | 0.22 | 0.87 |
| 16 | Idaho profile | $18.12 | $37,690 | $34,250 | $55,500 | 110 | 0.13 | 0.52 |
| 17 | Colorado profile | $18.07 | $37,580 | $34,610 | $58,040 | 370 | 0.13 | 0.50 |
| 18 | Ohio profile | $18.03 | $37,500 | $29,970 | $53,670 | 690 | 0.12 | 0.49 |
| 19 | Minnesota profile | $18.00 | $37,430 | $31,530 | $47,380 | 550 | 0.19 | 0.73 |
| 20 | Massachusetts profile | $17.98 | $37,390 | $33,700 | $43,160 | 340 | 0.09 | 0.37 |
| 21 | New Hampshire profile | $17.96 | $37,350 | $33,270 | $42,710 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.26 |
| 22 | Vermont profile | $17.94 | $37,310 | $33,210 | $40,730 | 90 | 0.29 | 1.15 |
| 23 | Montana profile | $17.86 | $37,140 | $31,360 | $53,380 | 210 | 0.41 | 1.61 |
| 24 | Wyoming profile | $17.81 | $37,030 | $28,270 | $41,120 | 60 | 0.21 | 0.84 |
| 25 | Illinois profile | $17.79 | $37,010 | $34,640 | $39,420 | 1,180 | 0.19 | 0.76 |
| 26 | Arkansas profile | $17.72 | $36,860 | $31,540 | $45,730 | 120 | 0.09 | 0.36 |
| 27 | Wisconsin profile | $17.63 | $36,660 | $30,410 | $44,250 | 550 | 0.19 | 0.73 |
| 28 | New Jersey profile | $17.59 | $36,590 | $33,020 | $50,280 | 1,020 | 0.24 | 0.93 |
| 29 | New Mexico profile | $17.50 | $36,390 | $28,620 | $55,540 | 180 | 0.21 | 0.82 |
| 30 | Virginia profile | $17.50 | $36,390 | $30,190 | $49,590 | 510 | 0.12 | 0.48 |
| 31 | Connecticut profile | $17.48 | $36,350 | $34,130 | $57,760 | 490 | 0.29 | 1.15 |
| 32 | Alabama profile | $17.44 | $36,260 | $32,870 | $41,950 | 460 | 0.22 | 0.85 |
| 33 | South Carolina profile | $17.38 | $36,140 | $33,820 | $48,640 | 360 | 0.16 | 0.62 |
| 34 | Michigan profile | $17.37 | $36,130 | $31,480 | $40,490 | 880 | 0.20 | 0.79 |
| 35 | South Dakota profile | $17.37 | $36,130 | $33,400 | $44,040 | 150 | 0.34 | 1.33 |
| 36 | Indiana profile | $17.26 | $35,890 | $33,280 | $43,550 | 610 | 0.19 | 0.75 |
| 37 | North Carolina profile | $17.08 | $35,530 | $25,710 | $43,660 | 1,180 | 0.24 | 0.94 |
| 38 | Maryland profile | $16.91 | $35,170 | $31,200 | $48,340 | 420 | 0.15 | 0.60 |
| 39 | Florida profile | $16.91 | $35,160 | $31,540 | $45,890 | 1,590 | 0.16 | 0.63 |
| 40 | Georgia profile | $16.65 | $34,630 | $23,180 | $46,370 | 1,410 | 0.29 | 1.14 |
| 41 | Kentucky profile | $16.64 | $34,610 | $30,000 | $40,940 | 600 | 0.30 | 1.18 |
| 42 | Louisiana profile | $16.08 | $33,450 | $22,270 | $38,740 | 730 | 0.38 | 1.49 |
| 43 | Iowa profile | $16.00 | $33,270 | $22,260 | $44,360 | 1,070 | 0.69 | 2.71 |
| 44 | Kansas profile | $15.42 | $32,070 | $24,100 | $41,980 | 470 | 0.33 | 1.28 |
| 45 | Nebraska profile | $15.20 | $31,610 | $28,080 | $38,590 | 400 | 0.39 | 1.55 |
| 46 | Oklahoma profile | $14.60 | $30,360 | $22,460 | $40,880 | 700 | 0.41 | 1.61 |
| 47 | Tennessee profile | $14.50 | $30,170 | $25,230 | $39,360 | 1,150 | 0.35 | 1.38 |
| 48 | Mississippi profile | $13.65 | $28,380 | $23,130 | $41,200 | 660 | 0.57 | 2.22 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (31-9090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 31-9095 Pharmacy Aides.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 31-9095, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 31-9095.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.