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California, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii and the District of Columbia report the highest wages for pharmacy technicians, ranging from an annual mean wage of $33,030 in Washington DC to $35,450 in California. The California cities of San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and San Jose, California, report annual mean wages of over $40,000 for pharmacy techs. Among employers of pharmacy technicians, dentists’ offices pay the most, followed by scientific research and development services. While health and personal care stores employ the largest numbers of pharmacy techs, the salaries they offer are relatively low, with a mean annual wage of $26,150. The national mean annual wage is $27,560, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2007.
Career advancement opportunities include supervising and training pharmacy aids and less experienced technicians and going into specialties such as chemotherapy. With a significant amount of additional education, pharmacy technicians can become licensed pharmacists.
The career outlook for pharmacy technicians is very good. As baby boomers age and pharmacists take on more responsibilities, the need for pharmacy techs is expected to continue to rise. Certification and work experience increase applicants’ employment options.
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