### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Pharmacy Technicians Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			pharmacy technicians imagePharmacy technicians measure amounts of medication for prescriptions.							
						Quick Facts:     Pharmacy Technicians2023     Median Pay
            						$40,300     per year
										$19.37     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    High school diploma or equivalentWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Moderate-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    459,600Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    6% (Faster than average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    25,900What Pharmacy Technicians Do
                                                
                        
                        
Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists dispense prescription medication to customers or health professionals.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Pharmacy technicians work in pharmacies, including those found in drug, general merchandise, and grocery stores, and in hospitals. Most work full time, but many work part time.
            
                                                How to Become a Pharmacy Technician
                                                
                        
Pharmacy technicians usually need a high school diploma or equivalent and learn their duties through on-the-job training, or they may complete a postsecondary education program in pharmacy technology. Most states regulate pharmacy technicians, which is a process that may require passing an exam or completing a formal education or training program.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for pharmacy technicians was $40,300 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of pharmacy technicians is projected to grow							 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
						About 44,900 openings for pharmacy technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for pharmacy technicians.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of pharmacy technicians with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about pharmacy technicians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Pharmacy Technicians Do 
            

			Pharmacy techniciansPharmacy technicians fill prescriptions and check inventory.			
Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists dispense prescription medication to customers or health professionals. They mainly work in retail pharmacies and hospitals.
Duties
Pharmacy technicians typically do the following:
Collect information needed to fill a prescription from customers or health professionals
Measure amounts of medication for prescriptions
Package and label prescriptions
Organize inventory and alert pharmacists to any shortages of medications or supplies
Accept payment for prescriptions and process insurance claims
Enter customer or patient information, including any prescriptions taken, into a computer system
Answer phone calls from customers
Arrange for customers to speak with pharmacists if customers have questions about medications or health mattersPharmacy technicians work under the supervision of pharmacists, who must review prescriptions before they are given to patients. In most states, technicians can compound or mix some medications and call physicians for prescription refill authorizations. Technicians also may need to operate automated dispensing equipment when filling prescription orders.
Pharmacy technicians working in hospitals and other medical facilities prepare a greater variety of medications, such as intravenous medications. They may make rounds in the hospital, giving medications to patients.
 Work Environment
			Pharmacy techniciansPharmacy technicians work primarily in pharmacies, including those found in grocery and drug stores, and in hospitals.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Pharmacy technicians held about 459,600 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of pharmacy technicians were as follows:
        Pharmacies and drug retailers
                52%Hospitals; state, local, and private
                16Pharmacy technicians spend most of the workday on their feet.
Work Schedules
Most pharmacy technicians work full time. Pharmacies may be open at all hours. Therefore, pharmacy technicians may have to work nights or weekends.
 How to Become a Pharmacy Technician

			Pharmacy techniciansPharmacy technicians spend much of their time interacting with customers.			
Pharmacy technicians usually need a high school diploma or equivalent and learn their duties through on-the-job training, or they may complete a postsecondary education program in pharmacy technology. Most states regulate pharmacy technicians, which is a process that may require passing an exam or completing a formal education or training program.
Education and Training
Pharmacy technicians usually need a high school diploma or equivalent and typically learn their duties through on-the-job training. The training periods vary in length and subject matter according to the employer’s requirements.
Other pharmacy technicians enter the occupation after completing postsecondary education programs in pharmacy technology. These programs are usually offered by vocational schools or community colleges. Most programs award a certificate after 1 year or less, although some programs last longer and lead to an associate’s degree. They cover a variety of subjects, such as arithmetic used in pharmacies, recordkeeping, ways of dispensing medications, and pharmacy law and ethics. Technicians also learn the names, uses, and doses of medications. Most programs also include clinical experience opportunities, in which students gain hands-on experience in a pharmacy.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredits pharmacy technician programs that include at least 600 hours of instruction over a minimum of 15 weeks. In 2017, there were 309 fully accredited programs, including a few in retail drugstore chains.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Most states regulate pharmacy technicians in some way. Consult state Boards of Pharmacy for particular regulations. Requirements for pharmacy technicians in the states that regulate them typically include some or all of the following:
High school diploma or GED
Formal education or training program
Exam
Fees
Continuing education
Criminal background checkSome states and employers require pharmacy technicians to be certified. Even where it is not required, certification may make it easier to get a job. Many employers of pharmacy technicians will pay for employees to take the certification exam.
Two organizations offer certification. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) certification requires a high school diploma and the passing of an exam. Applicants for the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) certification must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma, and have completed a training program or have 1 year of work experience. Technicians must recertify every 2 years by completing 20 hours of continuing education courses.
Important Qualities
***Customer-service skills.*** Pharmacy technicians spend much of their time interacting with customers, so being helpful and polite is required of pharmacy technicians in a retail setting.
***Detail oriented.*** Serious health problems can result from mistakes in filling prescriptions. Although the pharmacist is responsible for ensuring the safety of all medications dispensed, pharmacy technicians should pay attention to detail so that complications are avoided.
***Listening skills.*** Pharmacy technicians must communicate clearly with pharmacists and doctors when taking prescription orders. When speaking with customers, technicians must listen carefully to understand customers’ needs and determine if they need to speak with a pharmacist.
***Math skills.*** Pharmacy technicians need to have an understanding of the math concepts used in pharmacies when counting pills and compounding medications.
***Organizational skills.*** Working as a pharmacy technician involves balancing a variety of responsibilities. Pharmacy technicians need good organizational skills to complete the work delegated by pharmacists while at the same time providing service to customers or patients.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Pharmacy TechniciansMedian annual wages, May 2023Health technologists and technicians$51,250  Total, all occupations$48,060  Pharmacy technicians$40,300Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for pharmacy technicians was $40,300 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,720, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $57,130.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for pharmacy technicians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Hospitals; state, local, and private
                $47,940Pharmacies and drug retailers
                37,370Most pharmacy technicians work full time. Pharmacies may be open at all hours. Therefore, pharmacy technicians may have to work nights or weekends.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Pharmacy TechniciansPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Health technologists and technicians7%  Pharmacy technicians6%  Total, all occupations3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of pharmacy technicians is projected to grow				 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
			
			About 44,900 openings for pharmacy technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Demand for pharmacy services is expected to increase because of the large number of older people, who typically use more prescription medicines than younger people. Higher rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, among all age groups also will lead to increased demand for prescription medications.
In addition, pharmacy technicians will be needed to take on a greater role in pharmacy operations because pharmacists are increasingly performing more patient care activities. Technicians will need to perform tasks—such as collecting patient information, handling prescription transfers, and verifying the work of other technicians—that were previously done by pharmacists.
			

                        Employment projections data for     pharmacy technicians, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Pharmacy technicians**
			29-2052
			459,600
			485,500
			6
			25,900
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Pharmacy technicians **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of pharmacy technicians. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Dental Assistants**
            Dental assistants provide patient care, take x rays, keep records, and schedule appointments.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $46,540**Medical Assistants**
            Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks, such as scheduling appointments and taking patients’ vital signs.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $42,000**Medical Records Specialists**
            Medical records specialists compile, process, and maintain patient files.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $48,780**Medical Transcriptionists**
            Medical transcriptionists use electronic devices to convert voice recordings from physicians and other healthcare workers into formal reports.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $37,060**Pharmacists**
            Pharmacists dispense prescription medications and provide information to patients about the drugs and their use.
            Doctoral or professional degree
            $136,030
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about accredited pharmacy technician programs, visit
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
For more information about state licensure laws, contact individual state Boards of Pharmacy, or visit
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
For more information about certification, visit
Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
National Healthcareer Association

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Pharmacy Technicians
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Pharmacy Technicians, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacy-technicians.htm (visited *May 03, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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