How to Become a Pharmacy Technician
Prepare and dispense medications under a pharmacist's direction in retail and hospital pharmacies. It typically requires a postsecondary certificate, with a median salary of $45,750 per year and faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$45,750/yr
Middle half
$37,850 to $49,990
Job growth
Faster than average
Openings / yr
49,000
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Prescription Processing
- Dosage Calculation
- Inventory
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
Helpful certifications
- CPhT (PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technician)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
1/100
Work-life balance
63/100
Stress level
77/100
Related careers
- Psychiatrist$281,870 median
- Physician (Family Medicine)$244,180 median
- Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)$236,590 median
- Dentist$170,950 median
- Pharmacist$140,910 median
- Optometrist$136,570 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Pharmacy Technician make?
The median pay for a Pharmacy Technician is $45,750 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $37,850 and $49,990 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Pharmacy Technician?
The usual entry point is a postsecondary certificate. Common majors are Pharmacy Technology and Health Sciences.
Is Pharmacy Technician a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 49,000 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Pharmacy Technician use most?
Common skills for this role are Prescription Processing, Dosage Calculation, Inventory, Attention to Detail, and Customer Service.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).