Pharmacy Technicians
Pharmacy Technicians (SOC 29-2052) earn a median $45,750 a year ($22.00 an hour) in the United States, with 471,680 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What pharmacy technicians do
Pharmacy technicians prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist, and the SOC says they may measure, mix, count out, label and record amounts and dosages according to prescription orders. They receive written prescription or refill requests and check that the information is complete and accurate, enter it into computer databases, and establish or maintain patient profiles with lists of the medications each patient takes. They maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs. They receive and store supplies, check quantities against invoices, look for outdated medications and tell supervisors about stock needs and shortages. Customer-facing duties include answering telephones, locating items, handling simple questions, referring medication questions to the pharmacist, and operating cash registers. O*NET alternate titles such as hospital pharmacy technician, chemotherapy pharmacy technician, compounding technician and certified pharmacy technician show the range of pharmacy settings and roles. About 42 percent of respondents report a postsecondary certificate and about 36 percent a high school diploma or equivalent. The pharmacist remains responsible for professional judgment about medications.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a postsecondary certificate as the typical level of education for this occupation (42 percent).
Also called: Accredited Pharmacy Technician, Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), Chemotherapy Pharmacy Technician (Chemo Pharmacy Technician), Compounding Pharmacy Tech (Compounding Pharmacy Technician), Compounding Technician.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.32 | $18.20 | $22.00 | $24.04 | $29.35 | $22.41 | 471,680 |
| Annual | $36,020 | $37,850 | $45,750 | $49,990 | $61,040 | $46,620 | ||
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 technicians 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 | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $22.73 | $24.23 | $28.32 | $32.51 | $38.03 | $29.39 | 8,150 | 2.30 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $47,270 | $50,400 | $58,900 | $67,630 | $79,090 | $61,140 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $20.60 | $22.32 | $26.50 | $31.53 | $39.03 | $28.04 | 39,860 | 2.19 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $42,850 | $46,430 | $55,110 | $65,590 | $81,190 | $58,330 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $21.41 | $23.17 | $26.39 | $30.08 | $32.69 | $26.53 | 4,320 | 2.20 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $44,530 | $48,190 | $54,900 | $62,560 | $68,000 | $55,180 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $19.62 | $22.66 | $25.31 | $28.53 | $34.00 | $26.07 | 800 | 2.44 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $40,820 | $47,140 | $52,640 | $59,350 | $70,720 | $54,230 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $19.14 | $22.26 | $24.02 | $28.03 | $31.14 | $25.10 | 6,010 | 2.09 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $39,810 | $46,300 | $49,970 | $58,300 | $64,760 | $52,210 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.27 | $18.14 | $22.07 | $23.54 | $28.49 | $21.96 | 41,740 | 2.97 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $35,920 | $37,730 | $45,900 | $48,960 | $59,260 | $45,670 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $20.60 | $22.32 | $26.50 | $31.53 | $39.03 | $28.04 | 39,860 | 2.19 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $42,850 | $46,430 | $55,110 | $65,590 | $81,190 | $58,330 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.19 | $17.81 | $20.96 | $22.87 | $26.44 | $21.21 | 38,460 | 3.87 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $35,760 | $37,040 | $43,590 | $47,570 | $54,980 | $44,120 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.57 | $18.15 | $21.12 | $24.03 | $31.10 | $22.50 | 24,400 | 2.52 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $36,540 | $37,740 | $43,930 | $49,980 | $64,690 | $46,800 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $17.57 | $18.36 | $22.43 | $23.63 | $28.01 | $22.08 | 21,340 | 3.50 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $36,550 | $38,190 | $46,650 | $49,150 | $58,260 | $45,930 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Napa, CA | Hourly | $23.40 | $28.20 | $37.19 | $40.59 | $40.60 | $34.15 | 200 | 2.61 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $48,670 | $58,660 | $77,360 | $84,420 | $84,450 | $71,040 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $22.97 | $27.07 | $36.29 | $42.70 | $47.82 | $36.89 | 1,780 | 1.57 | 0.52 |
| Annual | $47,770 | $56,310 | $75,490 | $88,820 | $99,470 | $76,740 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $21.65 | $23.63 | $29.71 | $38.55 | $41.69 | $30.66 | 370 | 1.83 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $45,030 | $49,140 | $61,800 | $80,180 | $86,720 | $63,760 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.08 | $25.31 | $29.48 | $35.10 | $39.44 | $30.94 | 4,630 | 2.22 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $48,000 | $52,650 | $61,320 | $73,010 | $82,040 | $64,360 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $22.49 | $24.53 | $29.11 | $39.15 | $45.34 | $32.54 | 4,040 | 1.70 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $46,790 | $51,030 | $60,550 | $81,440 | $94,310 | $67,690 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.64 | $18.04 | $21.46 | $25.85 | $31.73 | $22.86 | 25,420 | 2.68 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $36,680 | $37,530 | $44,640 | $53,770 | $65,990 | $47,550 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $18.16 | $18.67 | $22.51 | $24.01 | $28.45 | $22.61 | 15,830 | 3.51 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $37,780 | $38,830 | $46,820 | $49,950 | $59,170 | $47,020 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.14 | $21.72 | $24.40 | $30.24 | $37.91 | $26.73 | 13,130 | 2.09 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $39,820 | $45,180 | $50,760 | $62,910 | $78,850 | $55,600 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $17.49 | $18.34 | $22.24 | $23.82 | $29.15 | $22.46 | 12,000 | 2.96 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $36,390 | $38,160 | $46,260 | $49,540 | $60,630 | $46,710 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $17.04 | $18.14 | $22.31 | $23.83 | $29.39 | $22.27 | 10,610 | 3.23 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $35,430 | $37,740 | $46,400 | $49,570 | $61,120 | $46,310 | ||||
Top industries employing pharmacy technicians
Health and Personal Care Retailers employ 52.0% of pharmacy technicians nationally (245,060 jobs) at a median $39,240 a year ($18.87 an hour), followed by General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (17.1%) and General Merchandise Retailers (9.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health and Personal Care Retailers NAICS 456100 | 245,060 | 52.0% | $39,240 | $18.87 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 80,740 | 17.1% | $50,680 | $24.37 |
| General Merchandise Retailers NAICS 455000 | 44,530 | 9.4% | $48,150 | $23.15 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) NAICS 4450A1 | 37,870 | 8.0% | $41,430 | $19.92 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 10,460 | 2.2% | $47,720 | $22.94 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (471,680). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $36,740 for pharmacy technicians in May 2021 and $45,750 in May 2025, with employment of 436,630 and 471,680.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $36,740 | $17.66 | 436,630 |
| May 2022 | $37,790 | $18.17 | 453,630 |
| May 2023 | $40,300 | $19.37 | 460,280 |
| May 2024 | $43,460 | $20.90 | 487,920 |
| May 2025 | $45,750 | $22.00 | 471,680 |
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
51 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 | Washington profile | $28.32 | $58,900 | $47,270 | $79,090 | 8,150 | 2.30 | 0.76 |
| 2 | California profile | $26.50 | $55,110 | $42,850 | $81,190 | 39,860 | 2.19 | 0.72 |
| 3 | Oregon profile | $26.39 | $54,900 | $44,530 | $68,000 | 4,320 | 2.20 | 0.72 |
| 4 | Alaska profile | $25.31 | $52,640 | $40,820 | $70,720 | 800 | 2.44 | 0.81 |
| 5 | Colorado profile | $24.02 | $49,970 | $39,810 | $64,760 | 6,010 | 2.09 | 0.69 |
| 6 | Montana profile | $23.75 | $49,400 | $38,330 | $60,780 | 1,340 | 2.62 | 0.86 |
| 7 | Minnesota profile | $23.22 | $48,300 | $38,110 | $62,080 | 7,340 | 2.49 | 0.82 |
| 8 | Wyoming profile | $23.20 | $48,260 | $37,360 | $63,950 | 600 | 2.15 | 0.71 |
| 9 | Utah profile | $23.14 | $48,140 | $37,860 | $63,130 | 5,030 | 2.90 | 0.96 |
| 10 | Nevada profile | $23.07 | $47,980 | $37,350 | $62,500 | 4,070 | 2.63 | 0.87 |
| 11 | Vermont profile | $23.05 | $47,940 | $37,610 | $65,060 | 760 | 2.50 | 0.83 |
| 12 | Arizona profile | $22.90 | $47,640 | $39,040 | $60,820 | 12,970 | 4.01 | 1.32 |
| 13 | North Dakota profile | $22.86 | $47,560 | $38,370 | $63,850 | 890 | 2.06 | 0.68 |
| 14 | District of Columbia profile | $22.79 | $47,410 | $41,300 | $74,100 | 1,130 | 1.61 | 0.53 |
| 15 | New Hampshire profile | $22.77 | $47,360 | $37,080 | $61,630 | 1,970 | 2.88 | 0.95 |
| 16 | Connecticut profile | $22.62 | $47,050 | $37,410 | $62,230 | 5,200 | 3.07 | 1.01 |
| 17 | Hawaii profile | $22.48 | $46,760 | $36,120 | $62,190 | 1,540 | 2.45 | 0.81 |
| 18 | Illinois profile | $22.43 | $46,650 | $36,550 | $58,260 | 21,340 | 3.50 | 1.15 |
| 19 | New Mexico profile | $22.42 | $46,630 | $37,470 | $58,780 | 2,550 | 2.93 | 0.96 |
| 20 | Nebraska profile | $22.41 | $46,610 | $36,710 | $57,110 | 2,660 | 2.59 | 0.85 |
| 21 | Massachusetts profile | $22.34 | $46,470 | $37,980 | $71,070 | 10,150 | 2.79 | 0.92 |
| 22 | Delaware profile | $22.32 | $46,430 | $35,460 | $57,400 | 1,480 | 3.06 | 1.01 |
| 23 | Idaho profile | $22.32 | $46,420 | $37,380 | $59,230 | 2,950 | 3.44 | 1.13 |
| 24 | South Dakota profile | $22.20 | $46,170 | $37,220 | $56,800 | 1,230 | 2.68 | 0.88 |
| 25 | Wisconsin profile | $22.10 | $45,970 | $36,080 | $58,700 | 9,540 | 3.24 | 1.07 |
| 26 | Texas profile | $22.07 | $45,900 | $35,920 | $59,260 | 41,740 | 2.97 | 0.98 |
| 27 | Maine profile | $21.83 | $45,400 | $37,060 | $57,360 | 2,070 | 3.23 | 1.06 |
| 28 | Maryland profile | $21.69 | $45,120 | $36,180 | $60,050 | 7,990 | 2.89 | 0.95 |
| 29 | Iowa profile | $21.57 | $44,860 | $36,140 | $52,150 | 4,630 | 2.97 | 0.98 |
| 30 | Virginia profile | $21.45 | $44,610 | $36,260 | $59,030 | 10,720 | 2.61 | 0.86 |
| 31 | Indiana profile | $21.42 | $44,560 | $36,610 | $54,800 | 10,790 | 3.37 | 1.11 |
| 32 | North Carolina profile | $21.41 | $44,530 | $35,820 | $57,360 | 17,260 | 3.49 | 1.15 |
| 33 | Louisiana profile | $21.35 | $44,410 | $36,100 | $52,920 | 6,700 | 3.46 | 1.14 |
| 34 | Rhode Island profile | $21.34 | $44,380 | $38,270 | $58,990 | 1,540 | 3.08 | 1.01 |
| 35 | Michigan profile | $21.32 | $44,340 | $35,430 | $54,740 | 14,240 | 3.23 | 1.07 |
| 36 | New York profile | $21.12 | $43,930 | $36,540 | $64,690 | 24,400 | 2.52 | 0.83 |
| 37 | Florida profile | $20.96 | $43,590 | $35,760 | $54,980 | 38,460 | 3.87 | 1.28 |
| 38 | Kansas profile | $20.82 | $43,310 | $33,800 | $56,160 | 4,270 | 2.97 | 0.98 |
| 39 | South Carolina profile | $20.25 | $42,120 | $35,500 | $51,060 | 8,070 | 3.50 | 1.15 |
| 40 | Tennessee profile | $20.15 | $41,920 | $35,550 | $55,430 | 11,870 | 3.62 | 1.19 |
| 41 | Georgia profile | $20.15 | $41,910 | $35,160 | $56,820 | 14,680 | 3.00 | 0.99 |
| 42 | Ohio profile | $19.55 | $40,650 | $34,980 | $56,520 | 17,820 | 3.21 | 1.06 |
| 43 | Oklahoma profile | $19.47 | $40,500 | $34,780 | $50,930 | 5,500 | 3.22 | 1.06 |
| 44 | Missouri profile | $19.28 | $40,100 | $33,830 | $54,600 | 12,610 | 4.29 | 1.42 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania profile | $19.25 | $40,040 | $35,140 | $51,290 | 18,880 | 3.11 | 1.03 |
| 46 | New Jersey profile | $19.04 | $39,610 | $36,170 | $59,700 | 14,020 | 3.27 | 1.08 |
| 47 | Kentucky profile | $18.84 | $39,200 | $31,760 | $52,640 | 8,870 | 4.43 | 1.46 |
| 48 | Mississippi profile | $18.77 | $39,040 | $33,340 | $49,250 | 4,040 | 3.47 | 1.14 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $18.77 | $39,030 | $31,620 | $49,760 | 8,510 | 4.03 | 1.33 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $18.60 | $38,680 | $33,400 | $48,620 | 4,560 | 3.50 | 1.15 |
| 51 | West Virginia profile | $18.37 | $38,210 | $30,490 | $48,460 | 3,560 | 5.08 | 1.67 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (29-2050), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Practitioners and Technical 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 29-2052 Pharmacy Technicians.
- 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 29-2052, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 29-2052.00, 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.