Pharmacy technicians in the United States earn a median wage of $45,750 a year, or $22.00 an hour. Half of all pharmacy techs earn less than that, and half earn more. Your own pay depends on where you live, where you work, and what you do on the job.
Work setting makes one of the biggest differences. Hospital pharmacy techs have a median wage of $50,760 a year. Techs in pharmacies and drug retailers have a median of $39,240, which is $11,520 less.
These numbers come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and cover May 2025. They are national estimates, not a promise of what any one employer will pay.
How Much Do Pharmacy Techs Make Per Hour?
The median hourly wage for pharmacy techs is $22.00. Half of all techs earn less than that, and half earn more.
Pay also spreads out across the job. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,020 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $61,040.
| Wage level | Annual pay | Hourly equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | Less than $36,020 | Less than about $17.32 |
| National median | $45,750 | $22.00 |
| Highest 10% | More than $61,040 | More than about $29.35 |
BLS reports the 10% figures as yearly pay. I divided them by 2,080 hours to get the hourly equivalents, so treat those two as close estimates.
These ranges cover every pharmacy tech, not just new hires. A beginner will not always earn near the bottom, and a veteran will not always earn near the top. If you are applying for a first job, compare local listings, because a job with no experience requirement may pay differently from one that asks for hospital experience or certification.
How Much Do Pharmacy Techs Make Per Year?
The national median annual wage is $45,750. The mean, or average, annual wage is $46,620. The two numbers measure pay in different ways.
The median is the middle wage. Half of all pharmacy techs earn less, and half earn more. The mean adds up every wage and divides by the number of workers, so very high or very low pay can pull it up or down. When you read a salary site, check which one it reports.
Pharmacy Tech Pay by Pay Period
A $45,750 annual wage breaks down like this for a full-time schedule.
| Pay period | Gross pay |
|---|---|
| Hourly | $22.00 |
| Weekly | $879.81 |
| Every two weeks | $1,759.62 |
| Monthly | $3,812.50 |
| Annual | $45,750 |
These amounts assume 2,080 work hours a year, or 40 hours a week for 52 weeks. The weekly, biweekly, and monthly figures are my own math from the annual median, rounded. They are not separate BLS numbers.
Your paycheck will be smaller than gross pay. Taxes, insurance, and retirement contributions all come out first. Part-time work, unpaid leave, and overtime can also change what you earn in a year.
How Much Does a Part-Time Pharmacy Tech Make?
Part-time pay depends on your hourly rate and your weekly hours. A tech earning $22 an hour and working 20 hours a week would make about $440 a week before taxes. Over 52 weeks, that adds up to $22,880.
This is a simple example built on the national median hourly wage. It is not a reported part-time salary. Use your own rate and hours to estimate your pay.
Pharmacy Technician Pay by Work Setting
Where you work can change your pay by thousands of dollars. BLS lists median wages for the main industries that hire pharmacy techs.
| Work setting | Median annual wage | Approx. hourly equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitals (state, local, and private) | $50,760 | $24.40 |
| Ambulatory health care services | $48,860 | $23.49 |
| General merchandise retailers | $48,150 | $23.15 |
| Grocery and specialty food retailers | $41,430 | $19.92 |
| Pharmacies and drug retailers | $39,240 | $18.87 |
The hourly column is the annual wage divided by 2,080 hours. It is a comparison tool, not a separate BLS number.
About half of all pharmacy techs (51%) work in pharmacies and drug retailers, the lowest-paying setting on this list. Another 18% work in hospitals, the highest-paying one.
Do Hospital Pharmacy Techs Make More Than Retail Pharmacy Techs?
At the median, yes. Hospital techs earn $50,760 a year, while techs in pharmacies and drug retailers earn $39,240. That is a gap of $11,520.
The jobs are not the same. Hospital techs prepare a wider range of medications, such as IV medications, and may make rounds to hand out medications to patients. Techs in retail pharmacies spend much of their day with customers, taking payments, processing insurance claims, and answering phones.
These are industry medians, not pay for any one job. Location, experience, and schedule still matter. Before you aim for a hospital job, check local hospital listings for the pay range, required experience, certification, and shift hours.
Which Retail Settings Pay More?
General merchandise retailers have a national median of $48,150. Grocery and specialty food retailers have a median of $41,430, and pharmacies and drug retailers have $39,240.
These figures describe whole industries, not single companies. They do not prove that one chain pays more than another. Use them to pick settings worth a closer look, then compare real job offers in your area.
Pharmacy Technician Salary by State
Pharmacy technician pay varies by state. In May 2025, the national median annual wage was $45,750. Washington, California, and Oregon were among the states with higher median wages, while some states had lower medians.
| State | Median Annual Pay | Approx. Hourly Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $58,900 | $28.32 |
| California | $55,110 | $26.50 |
| Oregon | $54,900 | $26.39 |
| Alaska | $52,640 | $25.31 |
| Colorado | $49,970 | $24.02 |
| Texas | $45,900 | $22.07 |
| Florida | $43,590 | $20.96 |
| New York | $43,930 | $21.12 |
| United States | $45,750 | $22.00 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Hourly figures are approximate annual-to-hourly equivalents based on 2,080 hours.
A higher state median does not always mean you will have more money left over. Rent, taxes, transportation, and other costs can change how far your paycheck goes. State figures also hide differences between cities, so compare local job postings before accepting an offer.
For official state and metro-area estimates, use the BLS May 2025 wage tables.
Does a Higher State Salary Mean More Money?
Not always. A state with higher wages may also have higher rent, gas, and taxes. What matters most is how much you keep after your bills.
Before you take a job in another city or state, compare these items:
- Hourly rate and expected weekly hours
- Rent and utility costs near the workplace
- Commuting and parking costs
- Health insurance and other benefits
- State and local taxes
- Whether the schedule offers steady hours
Here is a simple example. A $55,000 job looks better than a $48,000 job, a gap of $7,000. But if rent and commuting cost $8,000 more a year in the higher-paying place, you end up about $1,000 behind before taxes.
How Do You Check Pay in Your City?
State figures can hide big local differences. Search for pharmacy tech openings in the city where you want to work. Compare jobs with similar duties and experience requirements. If you use a wage database, make sure it covers pharmacy technicians and the same wage year.
How Much Do Entry-Level Pharmacy Techs Make?
No single starting salary applies to every new pharmacy tech. Entry-level pay depends on the employer, the local job market, the schedule, and the skills the job requires.
BLS says pharmacy techs typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Many learn the job through on-the-job training, which usually lasts less than a year. Others finish a pharmacy technology program at a vocational school or community college, and many of those programs award a certificate in a year or less.
The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,020 a year. That is not an official starting salary, because the group includes workers in many jobs and places, not only beginners.
To estimate starting pay near you, compare several entry-level listings. Check whether the pay range is meant for new workers or experienced ones. Also check whether the job requires state registration or certification, and whether the pay is listed hourly or yearly.
A slightly lower hourly rate can still be a good offer. Paid training, steady hours, and solid benefits all add value, and so does a clear path to a higher-level role.
Do Certified Pharmacy Technicians Make More Money?
Certification can help you get certain jobs, but it does not promise a raise. BLS says some states and employers require certification. Even where it is not required, it may make it easier to get hired, and some employers pay for the exam.
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) offers the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) credential. To earn it, you must meet one of PTCB’s eligibility pathways, such as finishing a recognized training program or meeting a work-experience pathway. You must also pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam. Rules and fees can change, so check PTCB’s current requirements before you apply.
Is CPhT Certification Worth the Cost?
That depends on the jobs you want and your state’s rules. Before you spend money, ask yourself these questions:
- Do the jobs I want require or prefer CPhT certification?
- Will my employer pay for training or the exam?
- Does certification open roles I cannot apply for now?
- Do similar local listings show different pay ranges?
- Does my state have its own registration or training rules?
No single raise applies to every certified tech. To judge the value, compare the cost of training and the exam with the pay ranges of the jobs the credential may help you get.
Which Pharmacy Technician Jobs Pay the Most?
Hospital pharmacy technicians have a higher median wage than technicians in pharmacies and drug retailers. In May 2025, the hospital median was $50,760 a year, compared with $39,240 in pharmacies and drug retailers.
Some technicians also build skills in sterile compounding, nuclear pharmacy, medication history, or team supervision. These roles may require extra training or experience, but there is no single national salary figure for each role in the BLS data used here.
If you want to move into a specialized role, check local job listings for the required skills, credentials, and posted pay range. Compare those offers with hospital and retail jobs in the same area before deciding which path is worth pursuing.
Does CVS or Walgreens Pay More Than Walmart?
There is no reliable national ranking that tells every pharmacy tech which of these three pays the most. Pay changes with the city, job level, experience, and schedule. BLS groups jobs by industry, not by company, so its data cannot settle the question.
Salary websites do show company estimates. Those numbers can come from different methods, places, and sample sizes, so treat them as clues rather than proof.
For a fair comparison, look at current openings in the same city and match the job level. This table shows what to check.
| What to compare | What to check |
|---|---|
| Hourly pay range | The range listed for the exact opening |
| Job level | Entry-level, experienced, lead, or another role |
| Experience | Whether prior pharmacy work is required |
| Certification | Whether a credential is required or preferred |
| Weekly hours | Whether the schedule offers steady work |
| Shifts | Nights, weekends, or other schedule needs |
| Benefits | Health coverage, paid leave, and retirement options |
| Training | Whether the employer offers paid training or exam support |
Do not compare one company’s experienced role with another company’s entry-level role. The gap may come from the job level, not the employer.
Also look at the whole offer, not only the hourly rate. Steady hours, good benefits, or paid training can make a slightly lower rate the better choice.
Is a Pharmacy Tech Salary Enough to Live On?
That depends on where you live, what you spend, how many hours you work, and what benefits you get. The national median is a starting point, but it cannot tell you whether your own budget will work.
At $45,750 a year, gross monthly pay is about $3,812.50. Your take-home pay will be lower after taxes and other deductions.
To test a job against your budget, estimate your monthly take-home pay first. Then subtract your main costs, including housing, food, transportation, insurance, utilities, debt payments, and savings.
If you are comparing two jobs, add the cost of getting to each workplace. A longer commute can cancel out a higher hourly rate. Benefits and paid leave also change what an offer is worth.
How Can Pharmacy Techs Earn More?
Start by checking which pharmacy technician jobs pay more in your area. Compare hospital, retail, and ambulatory care openings with similar experience requirements.
To improve your options:
- Build skills employers request. Look at local listings for sterile compounding, medication history, or lead technician roles.
- Check certification requirements. Ask whether your target jobs require CPhT and whether your employer offers training or exam support.
- Compare the full offer. Review hourly pay, guaranteed hours, shifts, health benefits, paid leave, and commuting costs.
- Prepare evidence for a raise. Bring local pay ranges and examples of your experience, added duties, or training to a pay discussion.
Focus on skills and credentials that appear in real job listings near you. That way, you can choose your next step based on actual opportunities rather than assuming a particular certificate or job title will raise your pay.aise. Find out which jobs pay more near you, learn what they require, and plan your next move around real openings.
Pharmacy Technician Salary FAQs
What Is the Average Salary for a Pharmacy Technician?
The mean annual wage was $46,620 in May 2025. The median was $45,750. The mean is the arithmetic average, while the median is the middle wage.
How Much Do Pharmacy Techs Make Per Hour?
The national median hourly wage was $22.00 in May 2025. Your pay may differ based on location, work setting, experience, and job duties.
How Much Do Pharmacy Techs Make a Month?
The $45,750 annual median equals about $3,812.50 per month before taxes, assuming 40 hours a week for 52 weeks.
Do Hospital Pharmacy Techs Make More Than Retail Pharmacy Techs?
The May 2025 hospital median was $50,760 a year, compared with $39,240 for pharmacies and drug retailers. These are industry medians, not guaranteed salaries for individual jobs.
Does Certification Increase Pharmacy Tech Pay?
Certification may help you qualify for certain jobs, but it does not guarantee a raise. Its value depends on employer requirements and the opportunities available in your area.
Final Answer: How Much Do Pharmacy Techs Make?
U.S. pharmacy technicians had a median wage of $45,750 a year, or $22.00 an hour, in May 2025. Hospital roles had a higher median than pharmacy and drug retailer roles, but your actual pay depends on your location, experience, and job offer. Use the national figures as a starting point, then compare current openings in your area.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Pharmacy Technicians (May 2025 wage data), and the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board for certification details.
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I’m Emma Rose, the founder of Punstation. I cover technology, digital trends, business, and online tools, creating practical guides and thoughtful reviews to help readers understand their options and make informed decisions. For more on how I approach my content, see our Editorial Standards.