The employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to increase an astonishing 31 percent by 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is much faster than the average projected increase for all professions. If you’ve chosen a career as a pharmacy technician, you can look forward to a bright future.
The average salary for a pharmacy technician as of May 2009 is $28,070 as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest ten-percent earned $19,480 or less per year, while the highest ten-percent earned $40,160 or more.
Pharmacy technician pay is influenced by many factors including education, certification, experience, industry and location. If you want to receive the highest possible pharmacy technician salary, consider the following:
Education = Higher Wages
Pharmacy technicians with formal education generally receive higher starting salaries than those who require extensive on-the-job training. If you want to enter the field with the best possible starting salary, you’ll need to complete a pharmacy technician training program, preferably through an accredited pharmacy tech school.
Certification = Higher Wages
While only a few states require pharmacy technicians to obtain certification, those who are certified may earn higher wages. A certified pharmacy tech has passed the certification test given by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. In order to take the certification test, you must have your high school diploma, GED or equivalent and no felonies or drug-related convictions. Once certified, you must complete 20 hours of continuing education every two years to maintain your certification. Many employers will pay for the certification test and at least a portion of your continuing education costs.
Experience = Higher Wages
As with most careers, experience can lead to promotions and higher wages. In general, an entry-level pharmacy technician is one with zero to three years of experience. Intermediate pharmacy technicians possess four or more years of experience. A pharmacy technician supervisor will generally have six or more years of experience. According to May 2009 data from Salary.com, the average salary for intermediate pharmacy technicians ranges from $31,354 to $39,392 per year. The average salary for pharmacy tech supervisors ranges from $41,306 to $53,138 per year.
Some Industries = Higher Wages
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the companies employing pharmacy technicians with the highest pharmacy technician pay are pharmacies run by federal, state or local government, pharmacies involved in scientific research and development, pharmacies connected with insurance carriers and pharmacies serving specialty hospitals. Health and personal care stores, general medical and surgical hospitals and grocery stores employ the greatest number of pharmacy technicians. Pharmacy technician wages at these companies tends to run closer to average.
Some Locations = Higher Wages
While Alaska employs fewer pharmacy technicians than many other states, they also have the highest average salary for a pharmacy technician ($37,090 in 2009 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics). They are followed by California, Washington, Hawaii and Nevada.
For the highest pharmacy technician wages without a need to relocate or try to find a job within a highly specific industry, your best bet is to pursue formal education through an accredited pharmacy tech school, obtain your certification, and put in the years necessary to advance through the ranks.
